Precious Treasure
by Vampirehelsing
Summary: HanChan. AU AE. Ryou gets kidnapped by Bakura. It is up to Seto and Jou to rescue him but can they do it without killing each other? BR, SJ
1. Chapter 1

For those of you who read Thieves of Hearts Too you may remember that I asked which fic people would like to read first so I could devote my time towards that idea. Well this fic is the AE AU idea I talked about. I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: If I owned Yugioh all the pointless story arcs they did in the anime would not exist and the show would revolve around Ryou and Bakura.

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**Precious Treasure**

**Chapter 1**

"My Pharaoh your guests have arrived," announced a servant.

"Excellent; send them in," the Pharaoh ordered.

The servant bowed and left the throne room. He soon returned accompanied by two males – Pharaoh Yami's guests. They both lowered themselves onto one knee when they neared the throne.

"Rise," Yami commanded.

Both males got to their feet and waited for their next instruction. Yami smiled at the serious looks on their faces. It was a pity that they had to act so formal in court. Yami would've loved to embrace them and ask how their trip had gone.

One of the males had brown hair and cold blue eyes that matched his icy outer appearance. His name was Seto and was one of Yami's cousins. They had known each other since they were little and had developed an inner bond.

The other male had long white hair, emerald green eyes and unusually pale skin. His name was Ryou and he was Seto's adopted brother. Seto had found him on one of his trips and had taken him in hoping to fill the gap in his heart that his younger brother Mokuba's death had made.

"Was your mission a success?" Yami asked. "Were you able to gather information about the newly discovered land to the south?"

"Yes Pharaoh, I was successful," Seto replied, bowing his head.

"Then report it," the Pharaoh ordered.

And so Seto began his report. Yami looked over at Ryou and saw that the teen had closed his eyes. Yami sighed. That could only mean that this was going to be a very long and boring report.

An hour later Seto was still droning on about how the people farmed and how many people there were in the cities and who ruled etcetera, etcetera.

Ryou was staring off into space, occasionally moving his weight from one foot to the other. Yami was leaning on his arm, fighting hard to keep his eyes open.

Seto suddenly stopped speaking. "Am I boring you my king?" he asked.

It took Yami a few minutes to realize that he had been asked a question. He looked at his scowling cousin sheepishly. "Err, could you repeat the question?"

Seto sighed. He really didn't know why he bothered. He then reminded himself that the reason he bothered was so that he could travel and learn new things. Seto had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

The only downside to his travels was that he had to report everything to Yami who didn't really care and would ignore him and then make him repeat himself over and over again until he was blue in the face. "I asked if you would prefer it if we discussed this over dinner."

Yami perked up. Was he being offered the chance to escape listening to Seto's ramblings about agriculture and currency? "Yes I would like that."

Yami stood and motioned for Seto and Ryou to follow. They made their way towards the Pharaoh's personal quarters.

When they arrived Ryou automatically collapsed onto a couch. "My feet hurt," he complained.

"Not my problem," Seto said as he sat down in a more dignified manner.

"You always say that," Ryou said, his eyes closing.

Yami smiled and sat down. "Long trip?" he asked.

Seto nodded. "Our supplies ran out quicker than we had anticipated. We had to go a day longer than planned to restock."

Yami gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sure you're tired. You can stay here and catch a few hours sleep while the servants prepare your rooms. I'll come wake you when it is time to eat."

Yami left, leaving the two teens alone. A small smile crept onto Seto's face when he saw that his brother was curled up on the couch and fast asleep. Seto then leaned back in his chair, deciding to take Yami's advice and sleep.

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It was late and Jou had only just started his shift. He was one of the few soldiers who was trusted enough to patrol the royal hallways at night. It was an honour to be so highly trusted by the Pharaoh but it was also a pain if you weren't nocturnal.

Jou was particularly tired that night and didn't realize that he wasn't alone until he rounded a corner and bumped into someone. They both fell back onto the floor with a thud.

"Watch where you're going," the other person growled.

Jou recognized the voice and looked over to confirm his suspicions. "Seto," Jou said, a hint of loathing in his voice.

Seto looked up and sneered. "I should have known it would be the mutt who would be so careless."

Jou grit his teeth, trying to hold back the insults. It wasn't smart to anger the Pharaoh's cousin. "I thought you had left the country," Jou ground out.

Seto stood up and brushed himself off. "I was merely exploring and doing the Pharaoh's bidding. I have now returned to report what I have found."

Jou also got up and brushed himself off. "And you'll be leaving soon?" he asked.

Seto glared at him. "That is none of your business. I do not need to tell a mere servant of my activities," Seto said venomously.

Jou was about to say something else but he was interrupted by someone he had not noticed up until that point. "Seto, I want to go to sleep. Can't you two argue later?" Ryou asked.

"We weren't arguing Ryou. I was merely putting the puppy in his place," Seto said before he strode off down the corridor.

Ryou gave Jou an apologetic smile before he ran after his brother. Jou sighed as he watched the two disappear.

It seemed like he and Seto had always been enemies. When Seto had first left on his travels Jou had been delighted. No more spoilt brats left to call him names.

It took Jou awhile to notice that he missed Seto. Life stopped being so exciting when Jou no longer had to wonder if he was going to meet the bastard around the next bend. He no longer needed to spend time thinking up insults and comebacks since he'd never get to use them.

When he'd asked Seto if he was going to be leaving again he hadn't necessarily meant it in a bad way. He was just wondering how many arguments he needed to prepare himself for.

Jou stopped his musings and continued his patrol of the halls.

Meanwhile, Seto was ranting about disobedient puppies. Ryou sighed and thanked the gods (and servants) for giving them separate rooms. His brother could rant about Jou for hours if he really wanted to, not caring if he repeated himself.

If Ryou hadn't known any better he'd think Seto was in love. The thought made Ryou smile. If only his brother wasn't so stubborn. Then again, the thought of his brother down on one knee presenting Jou with Egyptian lilies and telling him how wonderful he was, was quite disturbing.

They arrived at their rooms and Ryou said a hurried goodnight before barricading himself in his room. He was tired and didn't want to be kept up by Seto's ranting.

On the other side of the door Seto was irritated by his brother's hurry to leave him. He stormed into his room and slammed the door.

The stupid puppy was already making his life hell.

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A week later the verbal war between Seto and Jou had once again restarted. Seto, with his educated upbringing, seemed to be winning. But Jou wasn't one to give up so easily and tried with all his might to best Seto.

Little did they know that the next night they would be given a real reason to fight when a precious treasure would nearly be stolen from right under their noses…

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	2. Chapter 2

Sorry for the long wait. Homework is evil, enough said. Bakura makes his first appearance in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy him.

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**Chapter 2**

Outside the palace the full moon shone with barely enough light to illuminate anything. But barely enough light was the right amount for an experienced thief. It showed you what you wanted to steal but hid you from other's sight.

Bakura crept silently through the palace, a wide smirk on his face as he collected anything that was valuable, light, small and not easily breakable. There was so much to choose from he felt like…well, he felt like a thief in the Pharaoh's palace.

The sac on his back was nearly full. Just enough room for one more item. And Bakura knew exactly what that item was going to be. There was a small silver statue of Ma'at only a few paces away.

Bakura licked his lips. Silver, being more valuable than gold, was sure to gain a high price on the black market.

Just as he was about to grab the statue someone further down the corridor shouted for him to stop. Bakura cursed. How ironic was it that the statue that had got him found out was of Ma'at – the goddess of justice.

Bakura shot off like a bullet away from the guard that was chasing him and shouting, "Thief! Thief!"

Bakura led the guard and the many others that joined the chase through the many corridors of the palace. Seeing a large statue up ahead, Bakura knocked it to the ground, hoping it would cause enough of an obstacle to let him escape.

Suddenly there was a noise up ahead. Another band of soldiers was coming for him. He was trapped and with his heavy load he wouldn't be able to fight his way out of this mess.

Bakura barged into the room to his right, praying that he wouldn't encounter anyone. Luck seemed to be on his side – there was a window and balcony. He could jump from the height he was at. He'd just found his escape route.

There was a noise from the bed. Bakura turned, his heart beating faster. It promptly froze when he saw the angel that was lying under cotton sheets.

Bakura dropped his bag of loot. He edged closer and stared down at the angel. Moonlight that crept into the room gave the boy's skin an ethereal glow that radiated purity and innocence. Bakura couldn't remember ever seeing something so beautiful.

Then, before the thief's eyes, the angel stirred. Its eyelashes fluttered and opened to reveal the most beautiful emeralds the thief had ever seen.

Ryou stared at the man watching him. The man's red eyes first made Ryou think he was a demon. But then he looked down and Ryou realized he was a god. A strong, muscled torso that glistened with small beads of perspiration met Ryou's eyes.

When Ryou looked back up he saw that the god's eyes were not full of malice but mischief and wonder. A scar that ran down one side of the god's face only accentuated his beauty.

They both stared at each other for a long time and would've continued for longer if they hadn't been interrupted. The door was thrown open and a group of soldiers stood ready to attack.

Bakura's instincts kicked in and he pulled the angel up against his chest and held a dagger to the boy's throat. "Come any closer and he dies," Bakura threatened.

The soldiers stopped advancing. They could tell who the thief had taken hostage and none of them wanted to have to face Seto's wrath for causing his brother to be murdered.

Bakura smirked and walked backwards towards the balcony. He wished he could take the loot with him but that would be asking too much. After all, if he was lucky he might be able to take his angel with him.

They reached the edge of the balcony and Bakura pressed his mouth against the angel's ear. "Don't scream," he whispered.

Ryou nearly did scream though as they tumbled backwards off the balcony. Bakura flipped them over in midair so that they landed safely on their feet. He then threw Ryou over his shoulder and ran for it.

High above the guards watched in shock as the thief landed gracefully on his feet and then took off with his hostage.

Before anyone could move Seto barged into the room in his night clothes. "Where is my brother?" he demanded angrily.

Jou was among the guards in the room. He swallowed, knowing he was going to have to tell the irate man since no-one else had the balls to. "He's just become the thief's hostage," Jou informed Seto.

Seto was silent for a moment before he screamed, "Then what the hell are you all just standing around for! Go save my brother!"

The soldiers didn't need telling twice. They dashed passed Seto and ran after the thief, praying for their own sake that Ryou had not been harmed.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Bakura had been cornered. The soldiers were everywhere and it was only a matter of time until he was found. The only chance he had of making it out alive was to scale the walls now.

Normally Bakura would have no problem doing this, but normally he didn't have an angel with him. Bakura knew that he couldn't take the boy with him – he would be too slow at climbing the walls. If Bakura carried him then he would be slowed down and killed.

But just because Bakura was leaving him this time did not mean that he would not get his angel eventually.

They were currently back in their original position of Ryou having his back pressed against Bakura's chest. A hand was placed over Ryou's mouth and an arm circled his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. Ryou was still and silent – a good hostage.

Bakura leaned down and whispered in the boy's ear. "I have to leave now but I'll be back. Such a beautiful treasure is wasted on these fools, it's only right that I take it from them since I know how to truly appreciate it – you."

Bakura turned the boy's head placed a quick kiss on his lips. "I'll be back my precious treasure," he whispered before leaving Ryou and running over to the wall.

Bakura threw up his grappling hook and scaled the wall like a spider. The soldiers noticed him as he reached the top and they raced to open the gates. Ryou wasn't entirely sure but he could've sworn that the thief blew him a kiss before he descended down the other side of the wall.

Ryou stood there, his cheeks pink and his mind blank. He reached up and touched the place where the god's lips had met his. Had he just been called beautiful? A treasure? A precious treasure.

He was snapped out of his trance by the sound of his brother's voice. His hand dropped and he turned to see not only Seto advancing in on him but the Pharaoh and a few soldiers as well.

When Seto arrived he placed his hands on Ryou's shoulders and asked, "Are you alright? Did the thief hurt you in any way?"

Ryou shook his head and said, "No," in a quiet, dazed sort of way.

Seto sighed in relief. His brother was merely in shock but that was to be expected.

"You two should get some rest," Yami suggested. "After this unexpected midnight run-around I'm sure you're both tired."

Seto put his arm around Ryou's shoulders and led him away. Seto brought them to just outside the door of Ryou's room and asked gently, "Ryou do you want me to stay with you the rest of the night? There's no shame if you do. After the experience you just had you have every right to ask for someone to watch over you."

Ryou shook his head and offered his brother a weak smile. "I'll be fine," he said softly. "No-one would come back to the scene of the crime twice in one night. I'll probably fall straight asleep anyway."

"If you're sure," Seto said uncertainly.

"I'm sure," Ryou told him before he gave his brother a hug.

The real reason Ryou didn't want Seto to watch over him was because he knew that he would be having dreams about the god tonight and he didn't want his brother to see him doing anything…embarrassing.

They released each other and went into their respective rooms. Seto was still tense and wished Ryou had let him watch over him. Seto had panicked when he had heard Ryou had been made a hostage. He'd thought for a second that he was going to loose another brother. Because that was what Ryou was to him – a brother. They had become so close over their travels together; Seto didn't think he'd be able to cope if something happened to the boy.

Seto climbed into bed and closed his eyes. He prayed that something like this would never happen again. He hoped that the thief wouldn't be foolish enough to come back.

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	3. Chapter 3

What can i say? School is hard and i'm overloaded at the moment. I'm surprised i have enough energy to even type this. Oh well.

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**Chapter 3 **

The next day soldiers were sent into the nearby city to try and locate the thief. Even though he had not left with anything he had committed the crime of trying to steal from the Pharaoh. And threatened Seto's brother.

The search turned up nothing though. The thief was cunning and had easily slipped through their fingers.

Ryou was glad that his red eyed god had not been captured. What he was not glad about was the fact that Seto had gone into protective brother mode. That and the fact that he blamed Jou for the whole incident.

Jou had been patrolling the corridors and Jou had let the thief get close to Seto's brother. It didn't matter that Jou had been patrolling different hallways to the ones the thief had visited or that there had been other soldiers there to help.

It was all Jou's fault, according to Seto.

Jou didn't like being given the blame and especially not from Seto. The two argued whenever they met and could only be stopped by either Ryou or Yami.

Needless to say, Yami was getting a headache from listening to their bickering, which had increased tenfold since the day before. It was getting to the point where Yami felt the urge to scream.

And then the person in charge of assigning the guards their posts made the biggest mistake anyone has ever made. He assigned Jou to be the extra security guard Seto had insisted be posted outside Ryou's room.

Seto went ballistic went Jou turned up with a scowl on his face. They both got into another argument in record time. Seto said he wanted someone with skill to guard his brother. Jou argued that he did have skill and that Seto was an asshole.

Inside his room Ryou covered his ears. It didn't work though – the argument could still be heard thus preventing him from sleeping. He wondered if anyone else was able to sleep with the level of noise that the two were making.

Ryou groaned and covered his face with his pillow but that didn't help him sleep. He pulled the blanket over his head and pressed the pillow hard against his ears. This didn't dim the noise either – nothing could block out the two screaming males outside.

Ryou grabbed his pillow and blanket and moved out onto the balcony. It was slightly less loud out there so Ryou set down his things and curled up on the floor. The cool night breeze whipped around his face and he felt soothed. The memories of camping out in the desert with Seto washed over him and helped to drawn out the rest of the world and carry him off into a deep slumber**  
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Bakura silently snuck through the palace courtyard. He had been correct in assuming that security had yet to be increased enough to pose a fret to him. Nobody thought he'd come two nights in a row. But they were wrong. 

Bakura easily located the balcony he had jumped off the night before. He threw up his grappling hook and it caught onto the railings. He then swiftly ascended up the rope.

When Bakura reached the top he jumped over the railings. He was not watching his feet so when he took his first step he tripped on something. His breath was sharply knocked out of him as he landed on something human shaped. He reached for his dagger but froze when a pair of shocked emerald eyes blinked up at him.

Ryou and Bakura stared at each other for awhile, not knowing what to say. Bakura was the first to break the silence. "I told you I'd be back didn't I?" he said, his hot breath caressing Ryou's face.

"Yes," Ryou managed to get out, distracted by the fact that the thief's sexy body covered his own.

Bakura was slightly surprised by the teen's response. No crying, screaming, begging or resistance of any sort. Did the angel like the idea of being kidnapped? "Would you like to be stolen little treasure?" he asked.

"Yes," Ryou replied, his heart going a mile a minute.

Bakura smirked and leaned down to capture Ryou's lips. Ryou gasped at the sudden contact but soon relaxed and responded to Bakura's kiss.

They broke away and Bakura brought the boy, still wrapped in his blanket, into his arms as he stood. He unhooked the grappling hook and jumped off the balcony. They reached the ground and Bakura took off through the courtyard to a gate that wasn't being guarded. Bakura passed noiselessly through and headed towards a stallion that obediently waited for its master.

Bakura sat Ryou at the front and then jumped up behind him. He was about to flick the reins to tell the animal to go but stopped when he heard Ryou ask, "What's your name?"

"Bakura," he whispered in his angel's ear as he placed an arm around its waist. "What's yours?"

"Ryou."

"Ryou." The boy's name was sweet and easily rolled off his tongue. Bakura held tight to his new treasure as his mount set off into the night.

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Meanwhile, Seto and Jou were still going at it. Ryou hadn't been the only one who's sleep had been disturbed by the two's fighting. It had become so loud and aggravating that the Pharaoh had been woken to sort them out.

Yami did not like being disturbed at night especially when it was the second night in a row. He was irritable and wanted to sort this out quickly.

"Seto! Jou!" Yami shouted as he approached them.

The two stopped fighting and turned to face their king. "Is there a problem Your Majesty?" Jou asked.

"Yes – you two are my problem! Your bickering is disturbing everyone!"

Seto and Jou looked down, both feeling embarrassed. "Sorry Your Majesty," they said at the same time. They then looked up and glared at each other.

Yami sighed. "You better apologize to Ryou as well. Poor boy probably hasn't had a wink of sleep thanks to you two."

Seto glared harder at Jou. "I'll go talk to him," he said before quietly entering his brother's room.

Yami massaged his temples and wished he could be somewhere else. "Go get some sleep Jou," he ordered the blond guard tiredly. "I doubt your presence will be needed tonight. Your bickering probably scared off any intruders."

A shout was heard from inside Ryou's room. Jou and Yami exchanged worried glances before dashing in to see what was wrong. Seto was standing on the balcony looking distressed. "He's gone! He's not in here!" he shouted.

"Maybe he went for a walk-" Yami started to say but was interrupted by Seto.

"No! His blanket's gone but his pillow is still here. He wouldn't of jumped off the balcony and we would have noticed him if he came out the door. There _aren't_ any other exits! My brother has been kidnapped!" Seto shouted, disregarding the fact that he was interrupting the son of Ra.

Seto turned to Jou and pointed his finger at him. "This is your fault," he hissed.

"How is it my fault?" Jou demanded.

"Because you were the one who was supposed to be guarding him," Seto said, temper and volume slowly rising. "Because of your stupidity Ryou has been kidnapped!"

"Well if you hadn't been calling me names and distracting me I might have been able to save him!" Jou retaliated.

"Are you trying to say that it was _my _fault my brother has been kidnapped?"

"Enough!"

Seto and Jou stopped fighting and turned to Yami.

"The both of you need to calm down and point the finger later. Right now Ryou's safety is more important than your petty quarrel. Jou, you will go and inform the captain that I want his men searching the surrounding area as soon as possible. Seto, you and I will go back to my rooms and wait until the search is complete. Now move!"

Jou ran off to carry out his orders and Seto followed the Pharaoh as he marched off down the corridor.

"Don't worry Seto," Yami said as his cousin caught up to him. "Ryou will be fine. I'm sure whoever took him will not harm him – the scumbag is probably just after a ransom. We'll get Ryou back."

Seto hoped Yami was right. About everything.

He was sure that they would get Ryou back but he wasn't sure if he'd be in once piece – physically or mentally. Seto knew that Ryou was pretty and had seen many men look at him with lust in their eyes and only one thing on their minds.

What if the one who took Ryou was like those men? What if they were too late when they found Ryou and he was broken from being raped? Seto would never be able to live with himself knowing he could have prevented it.

A new burning hatred mingled with Seto's despair. It wasn't just hatred for the kidnapper but also for Jou – the one who was supposed to protect his brother but had failed to do so.

Seto wasn't going to forgive the mutt for this.

Not ever.

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Please Review! Your comments help me to write more! 


	4. Chapter 4

This is an all Bakura/Ryou chapter. Apologies to those wanting Seto or Jou in it but you'll just have to wait a bit for the next chapter. Remember to enjoy and review!**  
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**Chapter 4**

Ryou shifted slightly as he felt hot breath on his neck. His eyes fluttered open and he noticed something odd at the edge of his vision. Spiky white strands?

Ryou shifted slightly and a moan was pressed into his neck. It was then that Ryou realized who it was that was laying half on half off him. Pleasant memories of drifting off on horseback held in strong arms drifted back to him and Ryou smiled.

Bakura lifted himself onto his elbows and stared down at Ryou. "Sleep well?" he asked.

Ryou nodded and Bakura pressed a kiss onto his lips. Bakura pulled back but then decided he wanted more. The thief ran his tongue along Ryou's bottom lip and the boy parted his lips to allow Bakura entrance. Ryou moaned as the contours of his mouth were explored and mapped.

Bakura pulled away and smirked at the slightly panting boy beneath him. "Come on angel," he said teasingly. "Let's get rid of that morning breath."

Ryou's cheeks turned red as he sat up. Bakura took his hand and led him out of the bedroom they were in. They walked down a hallway and out into the warm afternoon air.

It had been a long night travelling and they had arrived at Bakura's hideout sometime in the morning. It was now not long after the hottest part of the day when most people would be waking from their midday naps.

Ryou was amazed by the rich, lush vegetation that was growing all around them. He could feel grass under his bare feet and in the tranquil silence he could hear the distant trickle of water.

Bakura led him through the greenery to a small stream. They both kneeled down and brought the amazingly fresh water to their lips with cupped hands.

When they had finished drinking Bakura led Ryou to a large pool of water. "You can bathe here if you like," he told the boy.

Ryou was about to accept Bakura's offer when his stomach rumbled. Bakura laughed as the younger of the two blushed and glared at his stomach.

"It seems your stomach has voiced its opinion. Breakfast – or should I say lunch? – before anything else."

Bakura chuckled and led the way back to his house. He smiled when Ryou moved to walk next to him and slipped his thin, pale hand into the larger tanned one.

"Is this an oasis?" Ryou asked.

"Yes. Do you like it?" Bakura asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yes, it's amazing. You're so lucky to live here," Ryou replied, obviously in awe of the place.

Bakura's smile grew, a new feeling of pride about his miniature paradise appearing in his chest. This feeling appeared again when Ryou looked around and complemented Bakura's kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" Ryou asked.

Bakura looked in the cupboard and hummed to himself in thought. "Bread," he said simply as he removed half a loaf.

Ryou nodded and watched as the thief sliced the bread with a knife. They took the bread and some milk outside to eat. They sat down among the grass and wildflowers and ate and talked as they watched the water in the stream flow past.

When they had finished eating Bakura led Ryou back to the pool so that he could bathe. He then left the boy to go find a towel and clothes that would fit Ryou so that he wouldn't need to wear his night shirt.

Ryou shivered as he placed his foot in the icy water. He took a deep breath and slid into the pool that came a little higher than his waist. He sighed as his body adjusted to the temperature and cooled him down. He slowly rubbed clean water over his soft skin, removing the sweat, dirt and sand his body had accumulated during the journey to Bakura's paradise.

Ryou then dunked under the water completely. When he resurfaced he wiped the water from his eyes and then ran his fingers through his hair to try and untangle the knots.

While Ryou was preoccupied with cleaning himself Bakura returned. He placed the towels and garments he had brought on the bank and watched his angel. Ryou had his back towards the thief and had not noticed him arrive.

A smirk appeared on Bakura's face as a delightful idea popped into his head. He quickly undressed and silently slid into the water. Like a crocodile approaching its prey, Bakura crept up on Ryou undetected.

Ryou, who had finished unknotting his hair, jumped when a pair of arms snaked around his waist and pulled him back into a muscular chest.

"Don't be so tense," Bakura whispered, gently nipping Ryou's ear.

The reassuring sound of Bakura's voice made Ryou relax. He let out a contented sigh as Bakura placed kisses from his ear down to his shoulder. The sigh soon turned into a moan as Bakura found a tender spot on Ryou's neck and began to lick and suck.

Bakura stopped his ministrations and moved back to Ryou's ear. "You make the most delightful sounds," he said, smirking.

He suddenly turned Ryou around to face him and smashed his lips into the shorter boy's. Ryou responded quickly, his arms rising to circle Bakura's neck. The thief pulled Ryou closer so that their bodies were pressed together.

Hot passion ran through both of them and they struggled to gain as much contact as possible. They were becoming more aroused by the second and neither had any intentions of stopping.

Bakura moved against Ryou and his weight pushed the boy over and under the water. The water pushed in on them and they were forced to break apart. They broke the surface of the water and took in some much needed oxygen.

Bakura watched Ryou as he regained his breath. The boy's bangs were stuck over his eyes and his cheeks were a deep red. He looked so delicious and innocent. A thought struck Bakura. They had only known each other a few nights and already they were kissing with passion that should not be there.

Ryou was innocent. What did he think of all this? Did he feel pressured into doing this? Was he just going along with it because he didn't want to be rejected? Did he think it was only lust Bakura felt for him and he needed to offer his body to satisfy the other?

Bakura waded to the bank and climbed out of the water. Ryou wiped his hair out of his eyes and watched him. Bakura truly looked like a god; the water shimmering in the sunlight to make it look like his tanned body was glowing.

Bakura wrapped a towel around his waist and walked back to the bank with another towel. "If you're finished come out and get dried," he told Ryou.

Ryou frowned slightly at the hard edge to Bakura's voice. He got out of the water and took the towel. Ryou frowned again when Bakura didn't look at him.

He had expected Bakura to take the chance to look at him naked and then comment on how he looked better this way. But Bakura looked away as if he didn't want to see Ryou. It hurt Ryou slightly, even if he didn't want to be ogled at when he was naked because it would be very embarrassing.

Bakura turned away to give Ryou some privacy. But Bakura couldn't resist taking a sneak peak at his angel. Ryou was just as mesmerizing as he had imagined. He was definitely the greatest treasure in all of Egypt.

Bakura's resolve of not going too quickly with Ryou wavered. The boy was so delicious and arousing. At that moment all Bakura wanted to do was pounce and take the boy's virginity.

Bakura shook his head and turned away. He needed to keep his mind away from those sorts of things. He needed to exercise some self-control. But Ryou was just so…wow.

Bakura sighed. He'd have to distance himself slightly for awhile to get to know Ryou better – to let the boy know that he wasn't just after a quick shag. He wanted to have his angel by his side forever and he wanted to let his angel know that that was exactly how he felt.

If doing that meant he wouldn't be able to kiss Ryou with the passion he had before then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

A treasure like Ryou was worth the wait.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Seto anxiously paced around the Pharaoh's study. The sun was already setting and there had yet to be any news about his brother's whereabouts.

Yami watched Seto pace. The lack of news worried him greatly. Even if the kidnapper had not been found there should've been some clues about his identity or which direction he had set off in. But there was nothing.

There was a knock at the door and Jou entered looking grim. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down at the floor. "There's no sign of Ryou or the kidnapper anywhere."

Yami sighed agitatedly. "And you've looked everywhere? Tried everything?" he asked.

"We've looked in all the places we can think of. But we haven't tried everything," Jou replied.

Seto stopped his pacing. "What do you mean?" he demanded curtly.

Jou shifted slightly. "We've not tried any of our underworld connections," he said carefully.

Yami looked at him. "You think we should send someone undercover to discover information?" he asked.

Jou nodded. "If the kidnapping was planned then maybe it was let slip by the perpetrator. Or maybe someone will have already been in boasting about the incident and we could get a description of the person."

"The mutt actually had a decent idea for once," Seto sneered. "Or did someone more intelligent spoon-feed you the idea to help you get out of trouble for the mess you've caused?"

Jou grit his teeth together, trying to keep his emotions in check. He wasn't going to let Seto get to him and he definitely wasn't going to start an argument in the Pharaoh's presence.

"You know," Jou started, knowing the perfect way to get his (subtle) revenge, "there was no sign of a struggle in Ryou's room."

"What are you implying?" Seto asked icily.

"Just that maybe Ryou wasn't kidnapped. Maybe he went willingly."

"But why would he do that?" Yami asked.

Jou shrugged. "Most likely because he knew the person – if there was someone else there. It wouldn't be any old acquaintance though since it would be pretty suspicious for someone to climb through the window. Maybe he eloped."

"He wouldn't do that," Seto stated firmly. "I know for a fact that there isn't anyone he has a crush on."

"Are you sure?" Jou asked, smiling internally. Seto was falling right into his trap. "Maybe he does fancy someone but wouldn't tell you because you'd have said person executed on the spot for trying to steal your precious brother away from you."

Seto immediately started shouting, telling Jou that he didn't know anything and he should keep his big, stupid mouth shut. Seto didn't want to think that Ryou would think he couldn't trust him. The stupid mutt didn't know what he was talking about – Ryou would never run away like that.

Meanwhile Yami was carefully thinking about what Jou had just said. 'Steal your brother from you'. "I think you might be onto something Jou," Yami said, halting Seto's tirade.

"You've got to be joking?" Seto said disbelievingly. "What the hell could the mutt have come up with that I couldn't?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't really believe that Ryou eloped do you?"

"No that's not what I meant," Yami said, shaking his head. "It's the words that he used that have given me an idea. 'Steal your brother'. A kidnapper is a thief who steals people." Yami looked at them both seriously. "What if the thief from two nights ago and Ryou's kidnapper are the same person?"

"That would make sense," Seto said, sober again. "He would know where to find Ryou and coming back the night after his attempted theft…"

Yami nodded. "If that's the case then we have a description of the thief to go by and at least that's something." He turned to Jou. "I am correct in assuming that we have the thief's description?"

Jou nodded. "It was dark – being night – but I got a pretty good look at the guy."

"That's good," Yami said. "Jou, I want you to use the underworld connections you know about to find out who this thief is and where he is most likely to be hiding."

"As you wish Your Majesty," Jou said, inclining his head respectively.

"I'm going too," Seto insisted. "I refuse to sit idly by and led incompetent idiots try to find my brother."

Yami sighed. "If you two think you can stand to be around each other without going at each others throats and blowing your cover, then yes you may go too," he said in a weary voice.

"When would you like us to leave?" Jou asked, aiming a glare at Seto.

"Tonight if possible," Yami replied.

Jou nodded and addressed Seto. "Make sure that you disguise yourself properly. No-one will talk if they know there's a palace official in the room. Wear a cloak with a hood and make sure it covers your face completely."

"I know what to do – I don't need you to tell me Mutt," Seto snapped.

With a final glare they both departed to get ready. Yami slumped back in his chair and closed his eyes. At least things were never boring when his cousin came home to visit**  
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Ryou and Bakura had spent the rest of the day talking in the shade of one of the trees. Now that the sun had set they went back inside Bakura's small house. 

Bakura was still going along with his 'avoid contact with Ryou so you don't break down and fuck him' plan. It had been easy when they had just been sitting down talking but now that the sun had set the real test of his self-restraint had started.

Ryou had noticed that Bakura was being more distanced than before. When they were talking Ryou had snuggled close but the thief had done nothing. Ryou had expected him to at least put his arm around him.

Ryou was starting to wonder if he had done something wrong. Was he not what Bakura had expected? Did Bakura regret bringing him to his home?

They had just finished the evening meal and Ryou had come up with a plan. He'd show Bakura that he was willing to do whatever the thief wanted. He'd show his magnificent god that he loved him with all his heart.

Ryou crawled off his cushion on the floor over to where Bakura was sitting. Bakura looked at the boy curiously as he seated himself in Bakura's lap. "What are you doing Ryou?" Bakura asked.

"Nothing," Ryou replied innocently as he ran a slim finger down Bakura's exposed chest.

Bakura shivered slightly at the feel of Ryou's silky soft skin. His self-control was being tested again but he would not give in to his animal-like desires.

Ryou frowned inwardly. If that got no response then he'd have to try something else. Ryou turned slightly and planted light kisses on Bakura's neck.

Bakura bit back a moan as Ryou's lips connected with the sensitive spot on his neck. "R-Ryou…what are you doing?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

Ryou didn't answer. Instead he pushed Bakura's legs apart so that he could kneel right in front of him. Ryou pushed his body against Bakura's and wrapped his arms around the thief's neck. He then assaulted the man's face with kisses.

Ryou was waiting for a response, any response, from his love but Bakura was doing well and remaining impassive. This only forced Ryou to use more drastic measures though.

Ryou pushed Bakura onto his back and started sucking on one of the thief's nipples. Bakura gasped as a wave of pleasure passed over him. He had to stop Ryou now before he lost all self-control.

"Stop it Ryou," Bakura said just loud enough for Ryou to hear. When Ryou ignored the command Bakura tried again. "Please stop it Ryou," he said, more desperately this time for he could feel himself hardening. Ryou continued to ignore him.

"STOP IT!"

Ryou removed Bakura's nipple from his mouth and Bakura gave a sigh of relief. But when Bakura looked up at Ryou his relief turned to guilt. Tears sparkled in the corners of Ryou's eyes and Bakura knew that he was the one who had made them appear.

"I'm sorry," Ryou whispered before he jumped to his feet and fled outside.

Bakura cursed as he got to up and ran after Ryou. It didn't take him long to spot the boy sobbing quietly under one of the palm trees. Bakura sighed as he sat by Ryou, ready to apologize profusely, but before he could say anything Ryou turned to him and quickly said, "I'm sorry."

"Ryou-"

"No it's alright; I understand," Ryou said as he turned away miserably. "I shouldn't have pushed myself on you like that. If you hate me and think I'm ugly I can't force you to love me. You should just take me back to the palace so I'll no longer be a burden."

"Why would you think that I hated you?" Bakura asked, stunned.

"Because after we bathed together you seemed to distance yourself from me. You were colder and wouldn't touch me. You realized that you'd made a mistake and that I was utterly repulsive."

Bakura suddenly realized what a fool he'd been. He'd given mixed messages and made Ryou feel that he needed to prove himself. And then he made it seem like he was rejecting the poor boy. He was such an idiot!

"Ryou, angel, I don't think you're ugly and I don't hate you. On the contrary – I love you and you're the most beautiful creature that ever graced this world. It's true, I did try to distance myself from you but it was because you were too beautiful. I wanted to jump you the second I saw you. But I didn't think you'd like me pouncing since we haven't known each other that long. I wanted to get to know you better before I deflowered you.

"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea angel. I promise I won't ignore you ever again. Will you forgive me for my stupidity?"

Ryou threw his arms around Bakura's neck and buried his face in the thief's shoulder. "I'll forgive you if you forgive me," Ryou whispered.

Bakura smiled sadly and hugged the sweet boy back. "Thank you angel," he whispered tenderly.

They stayed together in their embrace until all of Ryou's tears had dried. Then Bakura removed his arms from around Ryou and brought the boy's head up so that their eyes could meet. "Come on angel," Bakura said softly. "Let's go to bed."

Ryou nodded and kissed Bakura. Bakura helped the boy to his feet and together they walked back to Bakura's homely residence, their fingers once again interlaced.

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Pleae Review! reviews make me all creative and eager to write more! 


	6. Chapter 6

A big Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Special thanks goes out to Lorna Shadows who has reviewed every chapter so far. Please know that i value all your comments and will be eternally grateful to those who do review.

Ok that's enough grovelling for one day. Story time!**  
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**Chapter 6**

Seto and Jou were as silent as thieves as they made their way towards the tavern on horseback. The tavern's name was 'The Winking Camel' and that was where Jou said his underground informer would be waiting. Seto followed Jou trustingly, presuming that the mutt wouldn't get them completely lost.

When they arrived they tied the horses to a wooden stand outside and then headed inside, straight to the bar. Seto curled his lip in disgust under his hood when the drink was placed before him. Seto had been forced to wear his dark blue cloak with the hood up since someone was sure to recognize him as royalty and kick him and Jou out before they got any information if they let them live at all.

Seto had thought that hiding his identity would make others even more suspicious of him but when he saw that quite a few others were hiding their identity in the same fashion he knew that he was wrong. He was willing to concede that much. He'd never been in such a seedy place as this and so shouldn't be expected to know of such things.

Jou leaned back against the bar casually and looked around at the many faces that were hidden and unhidden. He grinned suddenly and leaned in close to Seto. "I found our man," he whispered.

Seto turned in the direction Jou was looking but most had their backs to them. "How can you tell?" he asked.

Jou's grin widened. "He always wears the same bright green cloak."

There could only be one person who fit that description. The vivid green of the cloak made the man stick out like a sore thumb between the much darker colours everyone else was wearing.

Jou grabbed his beer and strolled casually over to the table the cloaked man was sat at. Seto grudgingly picked up his own mug and followed. Seriously, why was it essential to drink (or at least be seen with) the vile stuff to fit in?

Jou grinned at the cloaked man. "How are you doing Otogi?" he asked.

Otogi was silent as Seto settled himself at the table. "Who's he and what's he doing here?" Otogi said coldly.

Jou sighed dramatically. "Sorry, I know you only like to talk to me when I'm alone but I had to bring him. He's new and I was told to show him the ropes. I tried to brush him off but he was persistent and said he was coming whether I wanted him to or not."

Jou gave Seto's shoulder a friendly punch, loving the way the indignation seemed to radiate off the brunette. Seto, on the other hand, was not as amused by the little stunt as Jou. He would have strangled the blond guard if it wouldn't have drawn attention to them.

Otogi still eyed Seto suspiciously. "I don't know if I can trust him and I'll not say anything until I'm sure that I'm safe. I'm not going to talk if this guy is going to them go and set soldiers on me or, worse, tell these guys that I'm a snitch."

"You can trust me," Seto said in a low voice.

Jou wanted nothing more than to slam Seto's head against the table as Otogi's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in recognition. "You're the pharaoh's cousin," he whispered in shock. Then, in a more controlled voice he said, "There's no way I'm talking to you."

"Oh I think you will," Seto said in a voice so sinister it made the hairs on the back of Jou's neck stand up. Otogi also seemed unsettled by the obvious threat.

"Listen Otogi," Jou said quickly, leaning forwards to gain the man's attention. "The stuff we want to find out is connected to Seto so he has a right to know about it straight away from the horse's mouth, so to say. Trust me he'll do you know harm."

"Then why did you lie to me and say he was a new guard?" Otogi asked suspiciously.

"Because I was hoping that his visit here would remain a secret." Jou glared at Seto to emphasize his annoyance that he had opened his big gob and blown his cover. Seto was unfazed though so Jou returned to Otogi. "You've heard about the robbery at the palace haven't you?"

Otogi nodded. "The soldiers that are swarming all over the city are a major indication that something big happened."

"Well the perpetrator stole something that belongs to Seto and he would really appreciate knowing where this thing is. Whatever you say will be confidential and neither of us will mention our source of information. We've got one lead and we need your help to identify the guy we got in mind. I doubt Seto's going to go blabbing about you with the threat that he'll never see his brother again hanging over his head."

"Jou," Seto growled.

Jou smiled at him sheepishly. "If it'll get him to talk it's worth the loss of a little private info."

"So it's a kidnapping not a robbery," Otogi said with interest. "Fine I'll tell you both what I know; you've convinced me of your silence."

As relief swept over the two interrogators they failed to notice a man at a nearby table stand up and head over to where another group of men were sitting. They also didn't notice the grim look on the man's face or the fact that he had been spying on them from the very beginning.

"Do you have any idea who actually did the kidnapping?" Jou asked as a starter question.

"No, but it must have been someone with a lot of talent to make it in and out alive," Otogi replied.

"Do you know of anyone who has white hair and red eyes?"

Otogi's eyes widened at the description. "Don't tell me he's the one who broke in to the palace." There was an odd hint of fear in his voice.

"You know him," asked Seto impatiently.

Otogi nodded and swallowed. "His name's Bakura. They call him 'Demon Thief' because of his eyes and ability to steal almost anything. He's a loner and doesn't come here often but people are fiercely loyal to him. I don't know why people are loyal but I do know that they'll kill anyone trying to bring him down."

"I hear what you're saying and don't worry. If there's a higher risk then your wage will go up," Jou said with a wink.

"That's good," Otogi said before pausing to sip his drink.

"Where can we find this Bakura?" asked Seto.

"I can't give exact directions to his hideout," Otogi told them truthfully. "He lives in an oasis to the south west of the city. If you want to find him you'll have to search that area. Sorry I can't be more exact but-"

Otogi was cut off when a blade was brought down across his neck, sever his jugular. His body slumped forward onto the table, knocking over his drink and letting the beer mingle with his life blood.

Seto and Jou had been too caught up in the information they were receiving to notice that all had gone deathly quiet and that they were surrounded by a bunch of very unhappy looking people.

"Looks like he'll be selling no more secrets," the man with the blade said, a feral grin on his lips as he wiped his sword on Otogi's stained cloak.

Jou and Seto hurriedly jumped to their feet and drew their swords. The ones surrounding them laughed and brought out their own weapons. "Give up; you're both outnumbered and outmatched."

"We might be outnumbered but we'll never be outmatched," Jou said cockily. To Seto he whispered, "You do know how to fight don't you?"

Seto scoffed. "Do fish know how to swim?"

"Seto, this hardly seems the time to be talking about fish."

Before Seto could reply the ones surrounding them started their attacks. Jou guarded one side while Seto guarded the other. Their skills as swordsman far surpassed that of the enemy and they were able to parry every blow against them until they saw an opening and dealt the ending blow.

By no means were Seto and Jou 'winning' their battle against the thugs but they were holding their own. They had made it so that no-one was at their rear and were fighting shoulder to shoulder. Though they were being pushed back by the enemy by no means were they cornered. They were being pushed towards the exit and that was exactly where they wanted to be.

Jou reached behind him and pushed the door open. He then fled out into the deserted street with Seto by his side. They untied their horses and raced back to the palace, leaving the shouting and cursing thugs behind them.

When they were sure that they were safe both male riders allowed their horses to walk. "That was a close call," Jou said with a relieved sigh. "That was some pretty good swordsmanship back there."

"Thanks, you weren't too bad yourself," Seto replied, a hint of smugness in his voice.

Jou laughed merrily. The fight had been exhilarating and the adrenaline was still coursing through him. Maybe that was why he felt like he was having fun while being in Seto's company for the first time in his life.

Jou had never known that Seto was such an impressive fighter. It had never occurred to him that they might have something in common. Jou had noticed how one of Seto's moves had flowed into the next with natural grace, just like Jou's did. Jou decided he respected Seto for this. That was the only way he could describe his emotions at the moment. Seto's grace had awed him and now he respected him.

Meanwhile, Seto was having similar thoughts as Jou. The blond hadn't royally screwed up the evening and Seto had found that being in his company hadn't been overly draining and annoying. In fact, he might even say that the evening had been enjoyable. He had used his earlier anger at Jou as motivation during the fight and now was less angry with the blond. He still disliked Jou but he didn't feel the need to have him be publicly executed.

There also seemed to be another emotion hidden away that he felt but he couldn't distinguish it nor did he want to. Seto was perfectly happy with the way things were at the moment. He sighed and wished for the good old days when Ryou was there to talk to him and he was free to argue with Jou whenever they came upon each other. If only those days would return to him soon.

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Please Review! 

PS. this is T and is going to stay that way so no lemons. Sorry.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The next morning Seto and Jou reported to the Pharaoh. They recounted the adventure they had had the night before then waited for him to absorb the information. "So you both escaped unharmed?" Yami asked. Jou and Seto nodded. "That is good. So what do you plan to do now?"

"Take a group of soldiers into the desert to find Bakura," Seto answered immediately.

Yami smiled slightly. "I thought as much. You don't think anyone who was in the tavern last night will have warned the thief then?"

"Otogi said the guy was pretty secretive so I don't think that anyone else would know how to find and warn him," Jou reasoned.

Yami nodded. "How long do you think it will take to find the oasis?"

"Well the desert's an awful big place…" Jou said before trailing off.

"I doubt the oasis will be more than a day's ride from here," said Seto. "The thief would have to carry provisions otherwise and if he was forced to make a quick escape he would be in trouble without said provisions. If we ride on swift horses we should have the thief apprehended in two weeks at the most."

Yami nodded slowly as he looked for a flaw in Seto's reasoning. "You'll want to lead the search party I presume," he stated more than asked his cousin.

Seto nodded. "If I start making preparations now we should be able to set off before sunset."

"Very well, I leave the preparations to you. Take care Seto. If you have not found Ryou after two weeks please return here so that we can rethink what is to be done."

Seto stood and bowed to his king. He then headed towards the exit but stopped when he reached the door. "Aren't you coming Mutt?" he asked, turning to look over his shoulder at Jou.

Jou was taken aback by the question. "What? You actually want me to come with you?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course," Seto replied with a smirk. "I need someone to entertain me." He then left, chuckling softly.

Jou's shock turned into anger. He jumped to his feet, hand clenched into a fist. "Why that…How dare he? When I get my hands on that stuck up little…" He stopped his furious half sentences when he realized he was about to curse in the Pharaoh's presence.

Yami smiled calmly at him. "You need to work on finishing your insults or Seto will eat you alive."

Jou nodded, blushing slightly. "I just wasn't expecting it that was all. I'll have the best comeback ever ready next time he insults me though."

With that Jou left the pharaoh to his thoughts. Yami shook his head, an amused smile on his face. Those two were at it again. He pitied the poor unfortunate soldiers chosen to help them on their mission.

* * *

"Oh…oh that feels good Ryou," Bakura said, his eyes closing.

Ryou smiled behind Bakura's back, his skilled hands continuing to massage Bakura's shoulders. "Do you feel more relaxed now?"

"Yes. Where did you learn to do this?"

"My brother Seto is always tense. I saw someone give him a massage once and he was a lot less stiff afterwards. One time when he was really stressed I thought I'd try to help him loosen up. I didn't do too badly since he let me do the same thing the next time he got all stressed out. Obviously practice makes perfect."

Ryou was quiet after that. Remembering Seto made him miss his brother. They had only been separated a day and a bit but Ryou knew that he wouldn't be seeing him for a long time. If he went back to the palace to see his brother Seto wouldn't let him leave and he could not have that happen. He would never be able to see Bakura again if it did since the thief would most likely be killed on the spot if he ever again set foot in the palace.

Bakura became worried when Ryou lapsed into silence. "Do you miss your brother?"

"Yes," Ryou said softly.

"What job does he have? If he's a servant I'm sure he won't be missed if I brought him here to live with us," Bakura said, not liking the idea of having to live with Ryou's family but willing to make the sacrifice if it would make Ryou happy.

Ryou bit his lip as his hands stilled. He'd avoided talking too much about Seto in case this question came up. "Seto's the pharaoh's cousin."

The muscles that had been relaxed moments ago suddenly tensed. "Brown hair, blue eyes, superior look on his face?"

"Sounds like Seto."

Bakura turned around to face Ryou. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" he asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

Ryou looked down so that his bangs covered his eyes and said nothing. Bakura stood up and began to pace, cursing under his breath.

Finally Bakura stopped pacing. He stood with one hand moving through his spiky hair, his back to Ryou. Ryou got up and put his arms around Bakura's waist from behind. He stayed quiet, his forehead resting on the thief's shoulder, while he waited for Bakura to talk.

"I didn't think the pharaoh was related to anyone with white hair," Bakura eventually muttered.

"He's not. I'm actually Seto's adopted brother."

"Either way they're going to have every soldier in the country looking for you," Bakura said gravely.

They were both silent for a moment. "Did you never wonder why I was in a posh room that couldn't have been a servant's?" asked Ryou.

"Strangely enough the idea that you were related to royalty (even if not by blood) never did occur to me. Looking back I don't think that I was actually thinking clearly. All I could think about was how much I needed you, how nothing would or could stop me from having you." Ryou blushed at this. "I'm usually quite methodical when I make my plans but the memory of your beauty threw me off entirely. I never thought about the consequences of my actions. People are willing to let the theft of gold go but if you steal a person you'll be hunted to the ends of the earth."

"Do you regret bringing me here?" Ryou asked dejectedly.

Bakura spun around and wrapped his arms around Ryou's waist. "That is something I shall never regret angel. You are _my_ treasure. _I'm _the only one allowed to touch you, hold you, kiss you, love you."

Bakura ended his passionate speech by crushing their lips together. Ryou smiled into the kiss, his arms moving to wrap round Bakura's shoulders as he moved with the kiss. When they broke apart they stayed close and gazed into each other's eyes. Ryou saw burning desire while Bakura saw unwavering devotion.

They stayed that way until Bakura smirked and gave Ryou a chaste kiss. "Any other secrets you've been keeping from me would be best told now," Bakura said as he moved to nip Ryou's ear.

"There aren't any I can think of at the moment," Ryou replied. "But then how can I think when you're being so…"

"Desirable?" Bakura whispered into his angel's ear.

Ryou shivered. "That's the one."

Bakura chuckled. "We better put that desire to some use hadn't we?" he said before capturing Ryou's mouth and dragging him down to the ground where they proceeded to kiss each other hungrily until the midday sun became too much to bare and they headed inside for a little light relief on the soft, comfy bed that resided in Bakura's humble room.

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Please Review! 


	8. Chapter 8

We have finally reached the moment when Seto finds his lost brother. Plus i'm sowing the seeds of puppyshipping. Happy reading!**  
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**Chapter 8**

The group was travelling slower than Seto would have liked. It couldn't be helped though; the provisions they would need had to be carried on a wagon that wasn't as swift as the horses. Consequently it would take longer to comb the desert.

With not much to do except look at the never ending horizon of sand Seto and Jou had reverted to their old habit of annoying the hell out of each other. Arguments raged and insults flew every which way.

After the barrage of words had ended there was silence. The men were thankful when the battle ended but Jou wasn't. Mostly he was unhappy because he had failed to win the argument but there was another factor involved as well. When the bickering ended there was nothing to do. Counting the flies buzzing round the horses got tiresome after awhile and then boredom set in. Fighting with Seto was the only way to definitely stop boredom creeping in on him.

The setting of the sun signalled that it was time to stop searching and set up camp. Jou was sitting alone by the fire when Seto settled down next to him. Jou gave him a sideways glance but didn't say anything.

"It's been two days and we haven't found anything," Seto said, annoyance clear in his tone.

"You didn't really expect to find him on the first day did you?" Jou said with slight scepticism.

Seto glared at him then turned away. "No, I didn't expect that we would. There's a lot of desert to search even when you've narrowed it down to a certain direction and distance. I just hoped that we would find Ryou straight away. Optimism is the only thing keeping me from breaking down. Do you have a sibling?" Jou nodded. "How would you feel if you had no idea what was happening to them? Bakura could have done any number of terrible things to Ryou. I'm worried I won't get there in time to save him. I pray that I will but every day my hope wears thinner. Can't you identify with that?"

Jou watched Seto carefully, silently. For the first time he realized how much Ryou's kidnapping truly affected Seto. The person he cared about the most had been taken from him, had been put in untold danger.

Jou suddenly felt sorry for Seto. Even if the guy was a jerk he was still human. Seto had feelings like everyone else and shouldn't be made to go through this. No-one should have to go through this.

Jou laid his hand on Seto's shoulder. Seto turned to look at him. "We'll get Ryou back before anything happens. If he can put up with having you as a brother I'm sure he can survive being cooped up with a criminal for a few days. The kids smart and tough – I know he'll still be in one piece when we arrive. Then everything can go back to normal."

Seto didn't reply. He did something that was halfway between a smirk and a smile, turning to look at the fire instead of Jou. The firelight shadowed some of his features but illuminated others.

It was then that Jou realized that Seto was actually quite handsome. Shadows revealed the contours of his strong and still face. Light danced in his cerulean eyes that had the depth of the ocean. His voice was, for once, filled with light humour. "You're right puppy. Ryou can hang on for a few more days. We'll find him."

Seto stood up and headed back towards his tent. Jou stayed by the fire thinking. Puppy was better than Mutt but Jou would still have preferred Seto to use his real name.

Jou sighed and headed to his own tent, wondering what strange things would occur tomorrow.

* * *

"Sir, look over there!"

Seto gazed in the direction the soldier was pointing. A small spot of green stood out against the vast yellow colour of sand. An oasis.

Seto smirked and tugged the horse's reins so that it headed towards the green. The soldiers around him did the same, moving as one to what they hoped was their intended destination.

The closer they came to the green spot the more defined the trees that edged the oasis became. This was no mirage. This was the first oasis they had come upon so it should house the prized treasure that they searched for.

Seto was the first to arrive at the oasis. He dismounted and waited for the others to arrive and do the same. He ordered the wagon to stay where it was, the rest moved with him through the trees.

It was still early in the morning and the air around them was cool. Jou was at Seto's side as they made their way to the heart of the oasis with as little noise as possible. His eyes flickered from side to side searching for movement. There was nothing but insects so far.

Eventually they came upon a house. Without being told to everyone became silent. They turned to Seto, waiting for orders. "We go in quietly and search the house," Seto told them, his voice calm even though his heart pounded. "When you see the thief alert the others. If we take him by surprise he should be easy to apprehend. No harm is to come to Ryou. Understand?" There was a general murmur of acknowledgement. "Good; then let's go."

* * *

Bakura yawned as he blinked sleep out of his eyes. Ryou (who was stationed on his chest) was also rousing himself from his dreams. The angel moaned softly; then sighed when Bakura stroked his hair.

"Sleep well?" Bakura asked.

"Yes," Ryou replied dreamily.

"I'm not surprised after our…activities."

Ryou blushed. Bakura grinned at him. He then removed the boy from his chest so that he could get up. Ryou's blush deepened as he stared at Bakura's strong, naked body. Bakura winked over his shoulder at Ryou on his way to the closet, loving the way his treasured angel squirmed in embarrassment.

Suddenly the door was thrown open and soldiers poured into the room. They had their swords drawn and were pointing them at Bakura. Bakura backed into the wall, his arms raised in surrender. He knew there was no point in struggling – he was out-numbered and had no weapon of his own.

Meanwhile Ryou, who had also quickly assessed the situation, tumbled over the far side of the bed to where his clothes were. He was now glad that they had been in a hurry to undress each other last night, leaving his clothes in a very convenient place.

Seto strode into the room, automatically noticing the naked thief. Panic rose in him, his eyes quickly darting round the room. "Ryou!" he called out.

Ryou jumped up from behind the bed, his clothes on but untidily so. "Seto!" he cried and ran to hug his brother.

Seto embraced Ryou, relief flooding through him, not caring about why Ryou had been hiding behind the bed. Behind them Jou looked on with a smile. He was glad they were back together again. Two brothers reunited. No, he was _not_ going to cry at the sweetness of it all.

Seto released Ryou, holding him at arms length to check for any apparent damage. Seeing nothing he pushed Ryou behind him to Jou so that no harm would come to him. He then stepped forward to address the apprehended thief.

"Thief Bakura you are here by charged with theft and kidnapping. You will be judged by the almighty Pharaoh, the-"

"Yes, yes; I get the idea," interrupted Bakura. "But before you take me to meet his royal highness can I put some clothes on? Or am I supposed to stand naked before the pharaoh?"

Seto went red with indignation, anger and embarrassment. He stormed over to the closet and pulled out a plain white kilt. He checked it for concealed weapons then chucked it at Bakura who caught it with a mocking grin on his face.

Seto waited until Bakura was dressed before ordering the guards to bind his hands. Bakura was roughly thrust face first into the wall. A guard behind him pulled back his arms, tying the rope tightly around his wrists. He was then jerked back to face the door.

Seto felt a timid tug on his cloak. He turned to see that it was Ryou trying to get his attention. "Seto, can we talk in private?" he asked softly.

"We'll talk when we get back to the palace," replied Seto.

"But…" Ryou trailed off when he saw the look on Seto's face. His mind had been made up and there was no way of changing it.

Jou touched Ryou's shoulder and motioned for him to follow. Ryou gave Bakura a small, hopefully encouraging, smile before going after Jou. They headed outside and through the oasis to where the horses were waiting. Jou lead them towards a horse that Ryou recognized as belonging to Seto. Jou helped Ryou up into the saddle then waited.

Soon the soldiers emerged from the lush vegetation. Through the gaps Bakura caught Ryou's eye. He smirked and winked as if the whole thing was a game, hoping to reassure Ryou that he was fine. Ryou smiled back but it wasn't one of the beaming smiles Bakura was use to receiving. It was full of worry and sorrow for the little angel's lover.

Seto arrived and mounted up in front of Ryou, Jou leaving to mount his own horse. Ryou watched from his perch as a rope was put around Bakura's neck and attached to one of the soldier's saddles. The demeaning treatment of his beautiful god made Ryou's heart sink. But what could he do or say to stop the soldiers surrounding Bakura with looks of disgust as they started to move?

How could he convince Seto that Bakura had done nothing to him; that he wanted to stay with the thief? He didn't want to embarrass Seto by having an argument in front of the soldiers. Seto was never going to accept that he went with Bakura willingly, that was why there was definitely going to be an argument when he tried to explain.

Ryou smiled slightly as he turned around to see Bakura walking proudly. At least Bakura understood and wasn't angry with him for not speaking out against his rough treatment. It had all happened so fast. His first instinct had been to get dressed. It was probably good that he had followed his instincts or Seto may have killed Bakura on the spot because they were both naked and…well it didn't take a genius to guess what they had been up to.

After that Ryou could have spoken up. But who would have believed him? He would have been pushed to the side; Seto would think Bakura had threatened him to say something if he was caught. They wouldn't have believed his cries that Bakura had done nothing wrong. Bakura knew that and knew that Ryou speaking out like that would just complicate things. Ryou was so glad for this – he didn't know what he would have done if Bakura was mad at him.

Ryou sighed at the predicament they were in. He tilted his head back to stare up at the sky where the gods supposedly lived. He silently prayed to any god that was listening that he could resolve this quickly so that he could once again feel safe in Bakura's arms.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was evening when they arrived at the palace. Servants and palace officials alike rushed out to see their triumphant return. Bakura was taken straight to the dungeon and Ryou could do nothing but look on with sadness while Seto led his horse to where the Pharaoh was waiting.

Yami smiled as Seto descended from his horse. "You were successful," he stated more than asked.

"Naturally," was Seto's arrogant reply.

Yami shook his head while Ryou approached. He looked up to see the young man bowing. "I'm glad you are not harmed Ryou," Yami said with a kind smile.

"I don't think I was ever in a position where I would be harmed Your Majesty," Ryou said so quietly that only Yami and Seto heard him.

Both males frowned but decided not to go into it with so many people present. Yam, looked around at his subjects, a smile plastered on his face. "Prepare a feast! Tonight we shall celebrate the capture of a criminal and the triumphant return of our men!"

There were cheers from all but the kitchen staff, the ones who would have to prepare the feast on such short notice. The crowd started to disperse so that only Seto, Ryou and Yami remained.

"It has been a long day," Seto told Yami. "May I save recounting the details for tomorrow? I would like to rest before attending the feast."

"I understand. I will see you tonight," Yami replied before leaving.

Seto started to walk and Ryou followed. Both were silent until they neared their chambers. "What did you mean before when you said that you didn't think you were in any danger?" questioned Seto.

"Can't we discuss that tomorrow?" Ryou asked softly.

Seto regarded his brother for a moment. Something strange was going on. Ryou was a quiet person by nature but he was never normally this quiet. It was almost like he was trying to hide something. Seto was unsure about how to react to this. If this was about something Bakura had done to him would it be better to let Ryou decide when he was ready to talk or demand an explanation so he could deal with whatever it was?

Ryou looked up at Seto with pleading eyes when his brother did not reply. Seto sighed at the look Ryou gave him; there was no harm in waiting until tomorrow for answers after all. "Fine."

Ryou smiled and took hold of his brother's hand. Seto was oddly reassured by this. It reminded him of Mokuba. It also reminded him to get a servant to put up an extra bed in his room. There was no way he was going to leave Ryou unprotected again.

* * *

The next day, Jou was on patrol when he noticed someone on the veranda looking out into the royal garden. On closer inspection he saw that it was Ryou. He walked over to greet the youth but stopped a short distance away. There was a sad, distanced expression on Ryou's face that Jou didn't like. 

Jou came to stand next to Ryou and leaned on the rail in-front like the other boy. "What's on your mind?" he asked.

Ryou jumped and turned to Jou with a startled expression on his pretty face. "Jou! Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"So what did have your attention?"

Ryou blushed and looked down. "It was nothing."

"Nothing? Then why are your cheeks all pink?"

Ryou bit his lip and continued to look down. "We're friends aren't we Jou?" Ryou asked in a soft, quiet voice.

Jou was slightly taken aback by the question but recovered quickly. "Yeah, I'd say we're friends."

"Well, would you be willing to do something for me without asking questions and without telling anybody, especially my brother?"

"Is it something illegal?" Jou asked hesitantly.

Ryou shook his head. "Not illegal just…others won't understand."

That grief-filled look was back on Ryou's face. Jou decided he didn't like that look. He also decided he might as well hear the request before turning Ryou down. "What exactly would you have me do then?"

"Could you arrange for me to meet secretly with Bakura?" Ryou asked nervously.

Jou just blinked for a few seconds. "Meet with Bakura? Why the heck would you want to do that?" he exclaimed.

Ryou started twirling his hair around his finger nervously. "Please don't ask any questions just now. I promise I'll tell you later just…please, will you do it?"

Was that desperation in Ryou's voice? It sure sounded like it was. Jou bit his lip, wondering if this was really such a good idea. There was no way he was going to leave Ryou alone with Bakura, that was for sure. That didn't mean he shouldn't arrange a meeting though. Just a short one, a few minutes. He could do that. If he got the guards to bring Bakura up from the dungeons into the interrogation room Ryou could have his meeting there. Jou could tell them Seto was in there and didn't want anyone but Jou to walk in. But should he really do it?

Jou sighed as he made his decision. "No more than ten minutes and I'm in the room with you the whole time," he negotiated.

A marvellous smile lit up Ryou's face. He hugged Jou tightly; telling him he was the greatest. Jou heartily agreed but inside he was worried that something would ruin the plan.

* * *

Bakura changed his position on the hard floor, trying to get comfortable. After spending a rough night without food he wasn't in the best of moods. It didn't help that both his arms were chained to the wall of a prison cell that was bare except for a pot to do his business in, and he was surrounded by guards that wished him nothing more than ill-will. At least he didn't have to share a cell with anyone and the chains were long enough to allow him to walk around a bit. 

Bakura shifted onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He was hungry but it seemed it was still too early for breakfast. He'd probably only get scraps anyway; the bits nobody else thought edible.

His eyes slid shut and a face appeared behind the closed lids. A pained smile slipped onto Bakura's lips. Prison was all the more terrible without Ryou. Bakura missed the boy's warmth at night. He missed the conversations that chased away the boredom. He missed his gentle touches and kisses. He missed everything that was Ryou.

"Hey! Sleepyhead! Get up now or I'll give your food to the dogs." Bakura sat up to glare at the insolent guard. The guard sneered at him, unafraid of the man in irons. "I don't see the point in feeding worthless scum like you but orders are orders."

Bakura remained silent. He didn't see the point in arguing with the fool; it would only drag him down to the idiot's level. The guard opened the cell and put the tray of food on the floor before taking a step back. Bakura stood up and walked over to the tray. The shackles tugged at his wrists making Bakura discover a small problem with his plan. While he was chained to the wall there was no way he was going to be able to reach the food. From the smirk on the guard's face he knew it too.

"What's wrong? Not hungry?"

In a calm voice Bakura replied, "The Pharaoh's going to be disappointed if I die before he has the pleasure of condemning me to death."

The guard snarled and kicked over the tray. Bakura merely sat down and started eating his breakfast of stale bread, ignoring the spilt liquid to his right.

The guard was infuriated by Bakura's calmness. He strode over and kicked Bakura hard in the chest. Bakura cried out as his back hit the floor. A second cry echoed the first when the guard's foot stamped on Bakura's chest. The guard grinned sadistically. "You think you're so tough but here you're nothing. Even the flies have more worth than you."

"I'll remember that," Bakura ground out before he wrapped his hands around the guard's ankle and twisted him off onto the ground.

Bakura jumped to his feet and got into a defensive stance. The guard got to his feet just as reinforcements arrived at the entrance to the cell. They rushed forward to drag the enraged guard out of the cell.

"There's no need to get violent with the prisoners," chided the guard that had the highest rank of the lot. Bakura's tormentor nodded curtly, still looking sour. The senior guard then turned to Bakura. "Master Seto wishes to have a private word with you after you've finished eating. If you have done so I shall take you to him now."

Bakura looked at the scattered remains of breakfast. It would keep until he got back. He held up his hands and let the guards change his restraints. He allowed the guards to take him from his cell without resistance. Ryou's brother wanted to talk? He could handle that.

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	10. Chapter 10

I'm sorry if Bakura's speech sounds similar to the one i did in 'Thieves have Hearts Too', it wasn't intentional.**  
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**Chapter 10**

Bakura was led through the corridors of the prison to a place Bakura remembered as being near to the exit. They stopped outside a room where another guard was already waiting. Bakura recognized him; he had been there when he was arrested.

The blond guard pushed himself off the wall and addressed the one in-charge. "Wait outside. Master Seto said I was the only one allowed inside the room."

The commander nodded. The guards that had been holding Bakura's arms released him and backed away. The blond guard motioned for Bakura to enter. Bakura walked inside, the guard slipping in behind him.

As soon as the door was shut a weight collided with Bakura's chest. Bakura's eyes widened when he looked down and saw a mass of white hair. "Ryou," Bakura whispered in a mix of disbelief and joy.

Ryou looked up, his eyes shinning brighter than the stars. He pulled Bakura away from the door before embracing him again. "I missed you," he said quietly.

"I missed you too angel," Bakura replied, tilting Ryou's chin so they could share a kiss.

"What the hell?" Both Ryou and Bakura turned to see a rather distressed looking Jou. They had both conveniently forgotten about him.

"You asked why I wanted to see Bakura," Ryou said quietly. "Well that's why."

"Don't tell me…you two are…Oh hell." Jou seemed to understand the situation quite well.

"Why did you bring him here; let him in on our secret?" Bakura asked Ryou seriously.

"It was the only way I could think of that would let me see you…touch you," Ryou replied, trailing off dreamily as his eyes focused on Bakura's lips.

Bakura too had become enchanted by his angel. He threw his shackled hands over Ryou's head then brought them down to the boy's waist. He reeled his angel to him, Ryou flinging his arms around his god's neck and threading his fingers into his hair as their lips met in a kiss full of passion.

Jou turned away from the couple. This was terrible! They were in love! They shouldn't be in love! Why the hell did they have to make things so complicated!?

Jou turned around to see the couple gazing into each other's eyes, breathing heavily. Jou cleared his throat to gain a fraction of their attention. There was no way he was going to get their whole attention since they were so focused on each other. "So how did…this happen?"

"It was love at first sight," Ryou told him.

"So you weren't kidnapped?" Jou tried to clarify.

"No."

"So why haven't you told Seto yet?"

"Would you want to tell Seto?"

Good point. If Jou had said that to Seto he would've been killed. If Ryou had said it however the whole conversation would have been disregarded. Jou couldn't see Seto believing Ryou had fallen in love with a criminal and left willingly.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Ryou answered truthfully.

Bakura smiled sadly and placed a kiss to Ryou's forehead. "I doubt they will believe the truth. Even if they do it won't make a difference. I was a thief and must be punished for my crimes. If I am not sentenced to death then I will be imprisoned for the rest of my life. Either way we will not be together."

Ryou's eyes widened, threatened tears. "Couldn't Seto stop it? Couldn't he say that you weren't the one who tried to rob the palace before? I could ask the pharaoh to free you."

"They'll only think that I'm using you, deceiving you," Bakura replied. Ryou buried his face in Bakura's chest as the tears silently fell. "It's alright angel, I accept my fate – I won't let it bother me. If death is the price to pay for loving an angel then I'll pay it. I would never have known true happiness, true love, without you Ryou. I tell you all this now because it may be the last time we'll ever be allowed to talk privately. If I am sentenced to death I want you to carry on living. It would kill me again if I was the cause of your death. Even if I am merely left to rot in prison I don't want you to feel that you can't have other relationships. If my fate is prison then there is no point holding out, hoping one day I will be able to come back to you because I won't be able to. I love you more than words can describe Ryou – never forget that. I'd give you the world if I could but I can't. Instead I give you my life and my heart."

Ryou sobbed harder. It felt like his heart was being ripped in two. Why was life so unfair? Why couldn't Bakura and him be together, why did they have to be separated? It was all so unfair.

As Jou watched the two he also felt tears threatening to come. That was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. Bakura couldn't be all bad if he could come up with something as romantic as that on the spot like he had. If only the pharaoh had been there to hear it. Jou was sure that he would have pardoned Bakura if he saw how devoted Bakura was to Ryou and vice-versa. Seto wouldn't though.

A sudden hatred for Seto burned in Jou. That bastard wouldn't believe any of it. He'd say Bakura was making it up; he'd convince the pharaoh to have Bakura executed. He'd do anything to keep Ryou to himself.

Jou let the couple have a few more minutes while he quelled his anger. Eventually though he knew that they would have to return to the real world. He cleared his throat and motioned to the door. They all got the point.

"Goodbye my love," Ryou whispered, the tears still glimmering on his face as he stroked Bakura's cheek.

"Farewell my angel," Bakura whispered back, a lone tear sliding down his face.

Bakura released Ryou from his grasp. Ryou backed away slowly, trying to maintain eye contact with Bakura for as long as possible. Unfortunately Bakura had to turn away and be led outside to the waiting guards. Again they held Bakura's arms firmly and silently walked him back to his cell.

Ryou and Jou waited in the interrogation room for a few minutes after the guards had left. Once Ryou had regained his composure Jou checked to see that the coast was clear. They ran up the stairs as quickly as they could before acting natural, like they were merely passing the dungeon on their way to someplace else.

"Thank you Jou," Ryou whispered when they were alone in one of the corridors.

Jou knew what he was talking about. "No problem. You deserve to be able to say goodbye properly."

"You really think there's no hope?" Ryou asked, his voice quavering.

"It's very unlikely," Jou told him truthfully. "I can't see a way out of this mess anyway."

They then walked in silence for the rest of the trip back to Ryou's room. As they neared the place Seto's door swung open and the room owner strode out looking furious. "Where have you been?" he asked angrily. "I've looked everywhere for you Ryou; don't you know how worried I've been?"

"I'm sorry Seto," Ryou whispered.

"Sorry? Sorry! At first I thought you might have gone off to see someone but then when I'd looked practically everywhere there was no trace of you. I thought you'd been kidnapped again Ryou! Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"_I'm sorry_!" Ryou shouted before rushing into his room, tears pouring down his face.

Seto stood stunned for a second. He hadn't been that harsh had he? Didn't Ryou understand that he was only worried about his safety? He could usually deal with Seto's moods; he never normally burst into tears when he raised his voice.

Seto turned from watching Ryou's closed door to Jou. The blond guard was giving Seto a look of pure hatred. And it wasn't one of his normal hate-filled looks that he gave the brunet after one of their arguments. This one was filled with pure loathing that made Seto's chest constrict.

"You asshole," Jou ground out. "Ryou doesn't need you being mad with him right now. He has more than enough on his plate at the moment. You being over-protective does nothing for him right now."

Seto was again stunned by the amount of controlled fury in Jou's voice. Jou wasn't usually one to control his anger, he just let it rip. The change scared Seto. "He needs to learn now so that something like this doesn't happen again and he won't have to go through the same trauma twice."

"You don't understand!" Jou shouted, loosing his controlled composure. "I've not known him as long as you and yet I still know more about him than you do! Ryou can cope with being kidnapped. You say you found him on the streets, alone, abondened, starved and beaten. If he can cope with that as a child he can cope with most things. What he can't cope with is loosing a loved one. When he first came here there were rumours that he still cried at night over his dead mother. The boy's too sensitive to cope with things like that but will eventually put them behind him. You helped him to do that and he never wanted to leave your side. But now he's avoiding you. Don't you think there's a reason behind it? He's loosing another loved one right now Seto."

Jou gulped the air into his lungs. If he had said too much it was too late to take it back now. Jou saw the stunned, hurt and angered expression on Seto's face. He turned, deciding it was best to leave and let Seto sort things out in his head.

Before Jou could go too far though a voice made him stop. "How do you know so much?"

Jou swallowed the lump in his throat brought on by Seto's almost broken voice. "I'm not as stupid as I appear," was all Jou said before walking away.

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	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Whenever Seto needed to think, needed to be alone, he usually went to the fountain in one of the less popular gardens. That was where he sat now, watching the clear water spout from the mouths of stone creatures down into the base of the pool.

What had Jou meant earlier? Ryou was loosing a loved one? He wasn't dying (as far as he knew) so who else would Ryou consider a loved one?

Nobody sprung to mind. Ryou knew better than to make friends on their journeys and he whenever they stayed in the palace Ryou mostly kept to himself. Seto had asked one of the servants if they knew of anyone who was ill. She had given him a funny look but informed him that nobody at the moment was so ill that it was likely they would die.

Seto sighed and stared down into the soft ripples of the bottom pool. He let his mind wander and surprisingly enough it wandered over the topic of Jou. After all, Seto had just seen him in a new light.

As far as Seto was aware Jou and Ryou had never been more than acquaintances. They had talked together when Ryou had separated the blond and brunet after fights but that was about it. The only problem with this theory was that Jou had been quite right in what he had said about Ryou. Seto had tried to deny it at first but now that he had thought about it he could see clearly what Jou had told him, what he had missed. Ryou had been so quiet on the way back. Seto at the time thought that it was a comfortable silence they had shared on the journey but now he saw that it wasn't. It was the silence of a grieving man.

Seto jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around and found Yami watching him with pity in his eyes. "You're obviously troubled if you have come to your thinking spot," the pharaoh told him.

Seto turned back to the fountain. "Jou's smarter than I thought."

Yami smiled, amused. "Really now? Whatever could have made you say such a nice thing about someone you hate so much?"

"Don't mock me Pharaoh," Seto said dangerously.

Yami sighed. "You take things far too seriously Seto," he said sadly.

A thought struck Seto. "Who's about to die?" he asked.

Yami raised an eyebrow at the morbid question. "Is this a trick question? Your way of saying you want that thief to be executed for what he did to Ryou?"

Seto's eyes widened. It couldn't be. There was no way that was who Ryou was grieving over. The man had kidnapped him – Ryou should hate him.

But still, who else was there that Ryou knew and would soon be loosing?

Seto jumped to his feet and stormed towards Ryou's room, leaving Yami behind in a state of confusion. Seto needed to know. He needed to find out if his theory was correct. What he would do after that didn't matter – all that mattered was eliminating such a possibility from the equation.

As Seto entered the corridors he saw another Jou walking towards him. Seto strode towards him, intent on making Jou reveal what he knew about Ryou. "It's the thief isn't it?" Seto shouted. "That's the loved one you were talking about!"

When Jou had seen Seto and the determined look in his eyes he had known something similar like this would be coming. That did not mean, however, that he had been able to think up a plan on how to handle the situation. "Yes," he said simply.

Seto stopped. He had expected the answer to be 'no'. He had hoped the answer would be 'no'. He had prayed the answer would be 'no'. Instead the answer was yes and he had absolutely no idea what to do about it. "It's a lie. You're lying to me," he accused.

Jou shook his head sadly. "If only I was," he muttered under his breath before staring Seto straight in the eye. "Seto, I've got no reason to lie to you."

"You could be doing it to spite me."

"Spite you?"

Seto glared at the blond guard. "I thought you had developed some form of intelligence. Obviously not or you would remember the years of vocal sparing."

Jou felt his temper rising. "I wouldn't lie to win a fight! I'm not a bastard who would make up something like that! I would have thought after all our years of 'vocal sparing' you would know me better!"

"Why would I do that you stupid, worthless mutt!"

Jou could no longer control his temper. "You stuck up bastard! I thought we'd gone past that! After helping you to rescue your precious brother I thought we'd given this up! I started to think you were alright but I was wrong like the first time!"

"First time?"

"When I first started working here I saw you and thought you were good looking!"

Seto was stunned at this declaration. Jou had thought that about him? That was something highly unexpected.

Meanwhile Jou was still ranting. "I thought there might have been a chance of us getting on if we couldn't be friends like the pharaoh and I do but no! You were so stuck up you'd never lower yourself to associating with anyone below you! From that first meeting we've only ever argued! Whenever you were here I always got in trouble for not concentrating because I was so busy trying to come up with good retorts for the next time we met!"

Seto found that rather strange; he too had found that he had read a line of text on one of his scrolls several times because his mind had been more focused on coming up with insults instead of the task at hand.

"Then, when you went off on one of your trips I had nothing else to do because every waking moment when you were here I had spent fuming over your comments! My life revolves around your comings and goings! When you're here I'm fuming over your pigheadedness and when you're gone I'm left to find something else to do besides cursing you for doing these things to me!"

Jou gasped for air; his rant had really taken it out of him. He watched Seto's face which wore an unreadable expression.

A chuckle made both males turn. Yami stood to the side, watching the two with a secretive smile. "It sounds to me like you're obsessed with Seto," he told Jou.

Jou's face became a deep red hue. "Obsessed? I'm not obsessed with that stupid bast…jerk."

Yami retained that secretive smile that neither Seto nor Jou liked. "You do know that hate is only a step away from love since both can make you very aware and obsessive other that other person."

"You're saying the mutt loves me?" Seto asked incredulously.

"And I think you love back," Yami added.

It was Seto's turn to go red, but not as obviously as Jou had. "I don't know what you're talking about. You have absolutely no proof to back up this accusation."

Yami listed the proof on his fingers. "You interact more with Jou than anyone else, including Ryou. You're always going on about him. You feel it necessary to insult him because you don't know any other way to put across what you're feeling. He occupies a large portion of your mind most of the time; need I go on?" Yami smirked when both Seto and Jou stared open-mouthed at him. "I'll take that as a no," he said before walking away. It was good to torment his cousin and friend sometimes. Also, he might have just put an end to the constant fights he had to break up. Today was a very good day in deed.

Jou and Seto remain in the same position for awhile after Yami had left. Everything that had been said was slowly registering in their brains and unfortunately all the pieces were fitting together.

When they did realise that they were both just standing there they quickly turned to walk in the opposite direction, not caring where they went as long as they were far away from each other.

* * *

Ryou sat alone in his room, curled up in a ball, his head buried in his knees. It was all too much for him to cope with. He just wanted this nightmare to be over. But it couldn't end – if it ended he would loose Bakura forever.

The tears trickled from his eyes. He didn't know what to do. Nobody believed there would be a happy ending. Was there anything he could do?

There was something but did he dare do it? If he was found out he would be in so much trouble. It would be worth it though. If he could make it happen there would be a happy ending. Well, maybe not a happy ending, but a satisfactory one at least. Yes, it was satisfactory and probably the best option he had.

Ryou sat up and wiped away the moisture on his face. He needed to be brave to do this; he needed to be smart. He had to make his plan. The deed had to be done before the trial in three days.

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	12. Chapter 12

Long live the Chirstmas holidays! They are a blessing to all. It's a pity I then have to do exams the moment i get back to school. It's mean!

Well, i hope you all enjoy this, especially since it is coming to an end.

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**Chapter 12**

Both Seto and Jou had replayed the events that had happened the day before several times in their minds. It annoyed them to no end that Yami's words made sense. They could sense it – deep down they new those words were true. But could they ever find the courage to admit the truth?

Jou knew the matter needed to be dealt with. It would drive him crazy if he didn't come out and say the words etched into his heart. That was why he was here at Seto's thinking fountain. This was where Seto was most likely to be. Sure enough, there was Seto, sitting on the rim of the fountain staring down into the water.

Seto looked up and saw Jou. He had been preparing all morning for this meeting but suddenly everything he planned to say disappeared from his mind. Stupid Jou making him nervous and excited at the same time.

They stared at each other for several minutes not saying anything. Eventually Jou (the more impatient of the two) had had enough. "Say something damn it!" he cried in frustration.

"Why should I be the one to say something?"

"Because you're the smart one!"

Seto smirked. "So you finally admit that I'm better than you."

"I said 'smarter' not 'better'. And you should be smarter, what with your royal education and all."

Silence once again ensued. Seto sighed. "Look, I've been thinking about what the pharaoh said and I have to say that he makes some valuable points." Seto stopped and discreetly bit his lip.

Jou rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, I was thinking about what he said too and I think he's right." Seto looked at Jou expectantly. Jou didn't know why he needed to be the one to confess first but he knew Seto was anti-emotion most of the time so even hinting at feelings was probably a pretty big thing for him. "I…I love you Seto."

"How do you know?"

That really got on Jou's nerves. "That's not what you're supposed to say! You're supposed to say 'I love you too Jou' before running into my arms and sweeping me off my feet!"

Seto made a disgusted but amused face. "Where did you get that idea? Were you listening to those love stories the serving maids tell each other." Jou would never admit it but that was where he had gotten the idea from. "And anyway, would you really want me to 'sweep you off your feet'?"

"No, but you could have at least said the 'I love you' part!"

Seto shook his head as he stood up. "You really are funny sometimes puppy."

Jou crossed his arms and glared at Seto. "Do you love me or not?" he demanded.

Seto seemed to hesitate for a second. "I don't know."

Jou growled in frustration. He stormed towards Seto and pulled him into a kiss. It was like being led into paradise. Both sets of eyes closed and Jou's grip on Seto's arm lessened. It was gentle and slow but when Jou pulled back Seto felt like his puppy was running away from the most intimate action in the world.

"Did you like that?" Jou asked. Seto nodded mutely. "Well I think that's a pretty good indicator that you're in love."

"That's good," Seto said, an evil smile creeping onto his face.

Jou gulped nervously. "And why's that?"

"Because now you won't mind me doing this," Seto said before pulling Jou into another fantastic kiss that was nowhere near as simple as the last.

From the other side of the little garden Yami smiled. Finally! Now he could _hopefully_ live a peaceful life without those two constantly trying to murder each other.

* * *

When the sun was set Ryou set out. He was glad that Seto was too occupied with his new boyfriend to keep a vigilant watch on him or this would have been a lot trickier. He needed to be quick and invisible to complete his task; everyone needed to believe that he was sleeping silently in his room.

Ever since Bakura had been caught the heightened security that had been brought in because of his initial raid had lessened making it easy for Ryou to reach the dungeons undetected. Then it got difficult. There were plenty of guards in the prison and sometimes one or two at the entrance; getting past them was going to be extremely hard.

There was one guard at the dungeon's entrance and he was snoring deeply. Ryou darted past him and down the dark stairs, not risking bringing a lighted torch with him. When he reached the bottom of the stairs Ryou chewed his lip nervously. Which way was he to go? The interrogation room where he had met with Bakura was to the left but had Bakura been brought to it from the left? Jou had put him in the room and he had hidden so he didn't know which direction the guards had come from.

Ryou also wasn't familiar with the prison's system. He knew that the dangerous criminals or those with life sentences were kept together but that was it. Bakura was most likely classed as highly dangerous and would be heavily guarded. Ryou could probably find him if he found the guards. Still, there was the question of which direction to take. He needed to be quick so he couldn't choose the wrong one – he would loose too much time.

Taking a chance, Ryou went left. He ran his hand along the wall so that he knew that he was going straight. It was so dark that he couldn't see his hand on the wall. Thankfully the cells here were empty (he could remember that from when he'd past before) which meant he would not be disturbing any prisoners. Ryou shuddered at the thought. That was another reason he was adamant about sticking to the wall – he didn't want any prisoners grabbing hold of him when he passed.

The passage echoed the sound of laughter up ahead. Ryou licked his lips as he approached the first lit torch in its bracket. He really had to be silent now. There were prisoners in these cells who could awaken at any moment. He would also be an obvious target as soon as he stepped out of the shadows.

For a moment Ryou almost considered turning back. Nobody would know that he had tried to help a prisoner escape. It would be better for him if he just turned back now.

It wouldn't be better for Bakura though. Ryou's heart twisted as he pictured the handsome thief's face. He couldn't abandon his love. Even if nobody else knew his attempted criminal act he would always know; he would be forever shamed by his cowardice. Saving Bakura was more important than avoiding getting himself into trouble.

Ryou scurried forward through the light. A few torches down he caught sight of the guards and stopped. They were all gathered around a table drinking and gambolling. Ryou smiled, it shouldn't be too hard to get past them. The only problem was that the table was placed against the wall; he'd have to pass right next to the cells to avoid detection and these prisoners couldn't all be sleeping with the noise their jailers were making.

Once again Ryou considered turning back. There was no way he was going to get past them unnoticed. Even if the guards were distracted by their game one of the prisoners could spot him and turn him in, and even if that didn't happen how was he going to open the cell door? His plan suddenly seemed like a foolish one.

Bakura's image appeared in his mind. He was so close, he couldn't turn back now. Maybe he couldn't rescue Bakura but he was sure his presence would give him some comfort. Or would he just anger Bakura because he had taken too big a risk in coming here?

Ryou was stood there nibbling his lip, trying to decide, for a long time. Too long.

"Hey! What are you doing over there?!"

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Ah! Evil cliff-hanger! I promise to update as soon as possible. Please Review! 


	13. Chapter 13

Four days till Christmas!!!!!!!**  
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**Chapter 13**

Bakura growled in annoyance. The guards _would _pick to hold their little party right in-front of his cell. He had hoped that the mass alcohol consumption would put them all to sleep but by now he had given up that hope. They were having too much of a good time to sleep.

Bakura leaned back against the wall and idly watched them. They had been doing practically the same thing all night and it was starting to bore him to sleep. He was just about to let slumber take him when one of the guards shouted something. He cracked open an eye and saw that they were all staring in one direction. He turned to see what they were staring at and his heart suddenly froze.

Bakura could recognize those eyes anywhere, at any distance, in any light. He couldn't believe Ryou was down here. Why was he down here? He wasn't trying to rescue him was he? This was bad.

* * *

When all the guards turned to him Ryou felt like running. That wouldn't have done him any good though (they would have chased and caught him easily even if they were drunk) so he fought his flight reflex and stayed where he was, the gears in his head quickly turning.

"Whoever you are come over here right now!" one of the guards demanded.

Ryou bit his lip and followed the order. He walked to stand an arm's distance from the first guard staring at him. He was glad he had placed a veil over his face after all. Strands of white hair kept escaping from it when he had tried it on and had considered not bothering. It was a good job he had decided to be extra cautious or they would have realized who he was right away. Now, if they were drunk enough, they wouldn't realize at all.

Ryou heard something stirring and turned his head slightly to the side. He bit down harshly on his lip when he recognized the mess of white hair. Bakura's cell was right here in-front of the guards! If he thought quickly maybe he could make up a plan to get Bakura out.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing down here?"

Ryou's attention quickly returned to the guards. They were all staring at him with the same emotion, an emotion that was easy enough to identify. Lust.

Ryou tried not to tremble under their gaze. He only just managed to succeed.

Suddenly, a plan formed in his mind. "I-I was just trying to find my brother."

"Brother?"

"Yes, I heard that he had been arrested and I wanted to see him." Ryou hoped they believed the story and would do what he thought they would.

One of the guards on the other side of the table smirked. "You can see your brother if you're willing to pay the price."

"I don't have any money with me."

"That wasn't the sort of payment I was after."

Even though this was going as planned Ryou still dreaded what he had to do. And right in-front of his lover! He just prayed that this would work.

Ryou walked over and took a seat on the man's lap. The other guards catcalled as the one Ryou sat on licked his lips. Ryou shuddered. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"I think a kiss for me to show you where your brother is and a little dance to keep the others quiet will be payment enough."

Ryou lifted up his veil and kissed the man quickly, before he could think about giving Ryou a much more embarrassing task. He then pulled the veil down again and jumped backwards. In the noise made by the men as they watched Ryou dance, like he had seen done by the women on his travels with Seto, nobody heard the quiet clatter the keys made as they hit the floor.

* * *

Bakura would have rather had his heart ripped out than watch this, watch his angel do things for these scum that should only be done for him. He started dancing on the spot but was moving round, giving the filthy bastards a chance to touch him. True they only had time to brush their fingers along the fabric of his clothes before he recoiled but they still should not have dared to touch what belonged to Bakura, the Demon Thief.

Bakura was almost too consumed by rage to notice the set of keys kicked his way but the clink of metal on metal caught his attention. He smiled to himself as he realized Ryou's devious plan. Bakura was glad that he had managed to convince the guards that he didn't need to be chained up tonight. They had accepted that there was no possible way of him escaping when they were all partying in-front of him. They would regret it later.

Bakura edged forward, constantly checking that all eyes were on his Ryou. Bakura reached through the bars and grasped the keys. He managed to catch Ryou's eye and the angel danced to the side so the guards wouldn't be staring at him as he tried to open the lock.

When one is a master thief one often learns a thing or two about locks. That was why Bakura opened his cell on the first try. He slipped out and headed behind the guards at the opposite side of the table to where Ryou was still dancing. Bakura picked up one of their swords and methodically knocked them all out with the flat part of the blade. He was glad that they were all drunk and captivated by his precious angel otherwise it would never have been that easy.

Ryou stopped dancing the moment all the guards were out cold. He flung himself into Bakura's arms, burying his face in his god's neck. The arms that wrapped around his middle were a blessed relief. His god was a merciful, forgiving god.

"We need to go angel," Bakura whispered in Ryou's ear.

Ryou reluctantly pulled away. They took each other's hand and ran to the exit, the few prisoners who were awake calling for them to come back and free them.

They reached the courtyard without any trouble. Bakura breathed in the fresh night air gratefully as Ryou led him to the stables. While Ryou saddled up an available stallion Bakura looked up into the sky. The stars seemed more beautiful than usual that night. Then again when you've been imprisoned underground for days on end anything would be beautiful.

They walked to the gate together. They stared into each other's eyes before the open gate, sadness etched on each face. "I won't ask for you to come with me; the life of a hunted thief is no life for you."

"I would love to be with you but I would miss my brother if I left. And anyway, they'd just send more soldiers to bring me back." Ryou felt tears prick his eyes. "I don't want this to be the end – please tell me we'll see each other again."

Bakura stroked Ryou's cheek lovingly. "I make no promises Ryou. I hope it is not the end but I can not make promises." Bakura thought for a moment. "You said you and your brother travelled didn't you? Are you likely to travel again?"

"I don't know. Seto has found a lover of his own in the palace so maybe there will be an end to the travelling."

"I will go south where I am not known. If you do travel again I will try to find you." Bakura kissed Ryou's forehead, thinking that would be enough of a goodbye.

Ryou too could think of nothing more to say so he stood on tip-toe to catch Bakura's lips. They put all their love into the kiss since it might be the last they shared. Tears streamed from Ryou's eyes and when they pulled apart Bakura licked up every last drop of the salty liquid.

It was time to go. Bakura mounted the horse and turned it towards the open gate. He blew Ryou a kiss before setting off into the night. Ryou quickly closed the gate and then hurried back to his room. He changed into his night clothes and stuffed the garments he had been wearing before under the mattress. He then crawled into bed and closed his eyes, his tears wetting the pillow as he tried to keep the image of Bakura in his head as long as could before sleep claimed him.

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Sorry for the sad ending. Not long now until the end of the fic.

Please Review!


	14. Chapter 14

I am afraid to say that this chapter I have done something unforgivable to Bakura. I apologize beforehand for the great sin I have committed. Sorry for shortness but i do short chapters and regular updates.

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**Chapter 14**

Seto watched his brother sit on the stone bench in the garden from a distance. The look on Ryou's face showed that his mind was far away from this place. He had been like this for a few days now, ever since Bakura had escaped. Seto didn't know what to do to help him so he just stood there watching.

A set of arms slid around Seto's waist. "He still there?" Jou asked. Seto nodded. Jou sighed. "Poor Ryou."

Seto decided now would be the best time to tell Jou his plan. "I'm going to be leaving with Ryou for the countries to the south very soon. Being on the move again should give his mind something to do."

"How long is very soon?"

"Two days."

Jou's heart dropped. He had only been together with Seto for a few days and now he was going to leave? He should have known that this whole relationship thing would have a catch.

Seto sensed Jou's sorrow. "I know you like it here but you're just going to have to adjust."

Jou frowned. "You make it sound like I'm coming with you."

"That's because you _are_ coming with us, stupid puppy." Seto tried to sound annoyed but a small smile still made its way onto his lips.

Jou cried out triumphantly before running off to pack. Seto shook his head as he watched the blond go.

* * *

Two days later the three travellers set off to the south. After they had said goodbye to everyone Seto and Jou got into an argument over some of the 'essential' things Jou had decided to bring. It was with a roll of the eyes that they departed into the desert.

It took two weeks to enter the Southern Kingdom and during that time Ryou said little. The other travellers often encouraged him to talk with them but he couldn't bare it. Apart from the fact that Ryou preferred spending time in his own dream world instead of listening to their (less violent) disagreements, it also hurt him to watch the two sit together as a couple in exactly the same way he use to sit with Bakura when it was just the two of them.

It was hard for Ryou to accept the fact that Bakura was gone, possibly forever. The memories of Bakura haunted his dreams and the great happiness he had felt around Bakura made him smile his sad smile of loneliness. He so badly wanted to hang onto these memories but doing so hurt him so terribly. It was almost like he was doomed to remember forever.

Eventually the travellers reached the first town they had been sent to visit. Seto ordered two rooms at an inn for the next twelve days. Some of these days were to be filled with business and some of these days were to be filled with relaxation or preparation for the journey to the next town. Seto was the only one to do any business since he was the only one who could cope with the tedium of the task. When he was busy doing this Jou spent his time looking round the town with Ryou, somehow managing to lose Ryou each and every time. The first time this happened both Seto and Jou had got into a panic. When Ryou appeared at the door, as calm as if nothing had happened (which it hadn't), they were both greatly relieved. To show this they started an argument over whose fault the whole mess was.

After this incident Seto became less bothered by Ryou going out on his own. This was why when Seto had completed the tasks he had come there to do he spend his time with Jou, letting Ryou do the shopping alone.

It was on the second-to-last day that Ryou was walking through the crowded market place when he bumped into the man. He quickly apologized for his clumsiness, his mind having been in another place. The stranger had been about to brush off the incident when he had taken a closer look at the one who had bumped into him.

"You're a pretty little thing aren't you?" he said softly to Ryou.

Ryou hung his head and tried to step out of the way. His path was blocked by the stranger's friend. "Yes, he does look pretty doesn't he?"

Ryou swallowed, sensing the lust behind the words of the two men. He tried to step back into the bustling crowd but one grabbed his arm. "Don't go running away now. We have some friends that we want to introduce you too; I know they'll love you."

Ryou cried out as he was grabbed. A hand was hastily pressed over his mouth; his arms pinned down by a thick arm. He was dragged into a side alley, struggling to get free. Nobody in the crowd seemed to notice his disappearance.

When they were out of view of the busy market Ryou was pressed up against a wall. The man holding him laughed. "I think we should try him out before we bring him to the others."

"I'm guessing you want to be first."

"I dragged him here didn't I? I was the one who did all the work."

"Yeah, but I was the one who first noticed him so I should get him first."

"I don't think either of you should have him."

Ryou's eyes shinned with hope at the thought of someone coming to his aid. The voice of his rescuer was soothing; almost familiar. He didn't know anyone with that accent though so it must just be his imagination.

The thugs turned towards the voice. "Get lost before we make you," one of them spat.

Ryou turned his head and got a glimpse of the tall man. He was bald and had the dark skin of the Sothern people. Was his voice familiar because Ryou had heard him in the market shouting the names of his wares from his shop?

The Southern man smirked. "Trust me when I tell you that you'll be the ones running away in fear."

The man not pinning Ryou charged and was dealt paralyzing blows before being thrown to the floor. The other watched on in horror as his partner was taken out with ease. He punched Ryou in the stomach to wind him before heading directly for his opponent. He too was swept aside like an annoying fly.

When Ryou had regained his breath he shakily got to his feet. His rescuer was there to help; the feel of his strong hands supporting his arms amazingly familiar. On closer inspection Ryou saw that there were small cracks in the dark skin. This may have been natural on a very old man but not on one as young as his rescuer.

Ryou was puzzled by all this until he looked up into two pools of blood. Recognition flashed in both their eyes. Ryou felt the other's grip on his arms tighten. He was transfixed by those deep eyes for the longest time.

Eventually the stranger said, "I'll escort you home if you like."

"That would be great. Thank you…?"

"Call me Akefia."

"Akefia."

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Can you guess who it is? Please Review! 


	15. Chapter 15

Alright everyone this is the last chapter! Vamp told me it needs an epilogue but what do the rest of you think? If you do think it needs something else added tell me in a review and if you have any idea what else it needs i'd like to know because i have no idea what i could do to finish it off. Apart from maybe making Bakura's hair grow back.**  
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**Chapter 15**

"Do you think Ryou's going to stop being sad anytime soon?"

"You know the answer to that," Seto said stoically as he twirled a strand of Jou's hair around his finger.

Jou sighed. "Poor Ryou."

Just then there was a knock on their inn-room door. Seto stood up and went to answer it. To his surprise he found Ryou flanked by a stranger. Seto automatically became suspicious. "What's going on?" he asked coldly.

Hearing the tone of Seto's voice made Jou sit up. To his surprise he saw Ryou smiling. The shock of seeing the boy look happy nearly stopped him noticing the one stood next to Ryou. This, however, did not happen since it was the stranger that answered Seto's question.

"Ryou tells me you are his brother. I only wanted to escort him back safely in-case someone else tried to rape him."

Seto quickly went into protective brother mode. "Ryou, are you alright? You weren't hurt were you?"

"I'm fine Seto; Akefia saved me before they could do anything," Ryou said reassuringly.

Seto returned to being suspicious. "You know each other?"

"You wouldn't ask for the name of your rescuer?" Akefia asked, giving Seto a challenging sneer.

Seto growled. "My brother is now safe so you may leave," he said curtly.

Akefia glared at him but took the hint. He stopped, however, when Ryou shouted, "Wait!"

Ryou turned to Seto imploringly. "You can't send him away like that after what he did for me. Can't he stay for awhile? Please Seto, please!"

Seto looked between the two. Something was going on here. This morning Ryou was still lost in his world of gloom and now he was suddenly knocking on his door with a beaming smile. Coincidence? Hardly.

Seto then made the mistake of looking straight into the sparkling green eyes. Seto was going to kill whoever taught Ryou how to look so pathetically cute. It was the same look his first brother use to give him when he wanted something.

Seto looked up at Akefia. With visibly effort he asked, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Akefia smirked. "I'd love to."

* * *

In the end Akefia stayed for more than dinner. Much to Seto's annoyance he spent the night sleeping on the floor in Ryou's room. Then, he spent the rest of the days before they left with Ryou. After that Ryou even went as far as to ask if Akefia could come with them on their travels. It was with great reluctance that Seto said yes.

The morning of the day they were to leave Jou asked why Seto was allowing a complete stranger to spend so much time with Ryou. Seto's answer was, "He's not a stranger to Ryou." When Jou didn't get it Seto spelled it out for him. "It's Bakura."

This shocked Jou and confused him even more. "But if you knew it was him why did you let him sleep in Ryou's room? Weren't you worried that they would sleep together or something?"

"Of course I was worried!" Seto shouted. "I hate him being here and I hate that he's coming with us but if it gets Ryou to actually talk to me then I'm just going to have to deal with it aren't I? I hated seeing Ryou so depressed."

Jou smiled and pulled Seto into a hug. "You're not such a bad guy after all are ya?"

"Stop yapping puppy or I'll have to put you on a leash."

Jou let the dog comment pass. "Are you going to tell them that you know?"

Seto smirked. "As soon as we get to the next town I'm going to tell Bakura to take a bath. It'll be fun to watch him squirm as he tries to come up with an excuse not to."

"Why wouldn't he want to take a bath?"

"Because he darkened his skin colour by covering himself in mud."

Jou nodded in recognition. He then frowned. "Should you really do that? I mean, he was hiding his identity because people might recognize the scar and white hair. What if someone recognizes him?"

"By that time we'll be too far south for anyone to have his description," Seto assured him.

Jou grinned. "It's going to be interesting when you reveal that you know his secret."

"It will be if you don't give it away in the mean time," Seto said seriously.

Jou frowned. "I'm not going to give it away." And so started another of their arguments.

* * *

Ryou sighed contently as he snuggled closer to Bakura. Moments ago they had arrived at a new town. They had headed straight for the nearest inn and all but collapsed into the beds that were as comfortable as clouds compared to the rough ground they had been sleeping on for the past few days.

Ryou purred as Bakura's fingers caressed his neck. Bakura smiled, his eyes only partially open. It was bliss to be able to hold Ryou like this again. During the journey they had stayed separate and he had missed the nights at the old inn when he had embraced Ryou so tightly to stop him escaping. But now they were away from the prying eyes of Seto and Jou and they could relax.

"How long do you think it will take for them to find out?"

Bakura considered the softly spoken question. "I think they already know. Jou was staring at me the day we left and I think Seto may have known from the start." Ryou nodded. Bakura pulled Ryou's slim body along his so that their faces were inches apart. "It doesn't matter," he whispered. "They can't separate us; not now. If they can't see that we love each other then they are truly blind."

Ryou smiled and pecked Bakura's lips. "I love you."

"I never doubted that you didn't."

Ryou laughed softly. "Aren't you going to say you love me back?"

"Why should I say it when I can show you how much I love you?"

Ryou blushed. "Not when they're in the next room."

Bakura chuckled, his tongue protruding to skim over the surface of Ryou's cheek. "I wasn't intending to get that intimate. I was thinking more along the lines of this." Bakura's mouth bridged the gap between them. Running his tongue along Ryou's bottom lip he warned him of his intentions before pushing those beautiful lips apart to probe the familiar crevices.

When they broke apart they stared at each other for awhile, their breathing shallow and harsh. "I like the way you show your love," Ryou eventually whispered.

Bakura's fingers reached up to touch Ryou's cheek. Ryou leaned into the touch that sensually moved down from his cheek to his neck, from his neck to his collar bone, from his collar bone down his chest to come to rest on his hip. "Just wait until we're truly alone; then I'll remind you what real loving is like."

Ryou smiled his sweet smile as his eyes closed and his lips once again connected with his true love's.

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Please Review! 


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